Conor Sheary’s stint with the Lightning hasn’t gone as planned.
After signing a three-year, $6 million deal in 2023, Sheary faced challenges. He missed much of last season due to an upper-body injury and struggled upon his return, often sitting out games. His performance hit a low with only four goals in 57 games, marking his worst season yet. This was only slightly better than his rookie year with the Penguins when he scored ten points in 44 games.
This season began without much improvement for Sheary. The veteran started as a healthy scratch and has been inconsistent on the ice since then. He hasn’t scored any points and holds a -2 rating while playing third-line minutes with Michael Eyssimont and Conor Geekie. His possession stats have also dipped , showing just 43.5% of expected goals at even strength last year.
Sheary’s Future: Waivers and Trade Options
Fans might wonder if this is the end of Sheary’s time in Tampa Bay. With his current contract terms, it’s likely he’ll clear waivers without being picked up by another team. If that happens and he heads to AHL Syracuse, it will be his first time there since leaving the Penguins organization nine years ago.
The ideal scenario would be finding a trade partner for Sheary, but he’d need to waive part of his no-trade clause to make that work. Meanwhile, sending him to the minors could help Tampa Bay reduce their salary cap hit from $2 million down to $850K—a move that might benefit both parties involved.
As things stand now, what do you think about Sheary’s situation?
