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Ryan Shea is taking the playing time that comes with his second year with the Penguins

Ryan Shea is taking the playing time that comes with his second year with the Penguins

Ryan Shea found himself in new territory last season when he was signed to the Pittsburgh Penguins roster following training camp.

He then spent a long time with the club and appeared in 31 NHL games by the end of the year.

All new achievements for Shea, who made his NHL debut with Pittsburgh last October after spending parts of three seasons with the Dallas Stars’ American Hockey League affiliate in Texas.

But while general manager Kyle Dubas re-signed the 27-year-old defenseman to a one-year, $775,000 contract in July, there was no guarantee for Shea this preseason, which saw stiff competition on the Penguins’ blue line.

In the end, Shea prevailed and secured a spot with the Penguins for the second year in a row.

“I think it definitely helps to know the systems, to know the (penalty kill), and I feel more comfortable – more comfortable with the guys, the coaches, I can talk to them at any time and get their feedback,” Shea said. “My confidence is definitely at an all-time high.

“That’s how you have to be when so many people are fighting for a few places. You have to have that confidence.”

Shea moved to the Penguins’ third defensive pairing alongside Ryan Graves with Jack St. Ivany.

St. Ivany, who also made his NHL debut with the Penguins last year, has played in five games, with Sunday’s puck drop in Winnipeg marking Shea’s second start of the season.

Through two games, Shea is averaging 15 minutes and 30 seconds of ice time, regularly factoring in the penalty kill. He hasn’t collected any points yet.

In addition to his familiarity with the Penguins’ overall system and penalty kill, coach Mike Sullivan values ​​the ability of Shea, a left-handed hitter who can play either side of a defensive pairing.

Additionally, Shea’s instincts with the puck have stood out.

“I think Ryan does a lot of really good, subtle things with the puck,” Sullivan said. “He has a really good stance, he doesn’t just throw pucks away, he has good vision and he has the ability to make passes from tape to tape to the outside.

“The subtleties of his play with the puck are what impress me most about Ryan. He defends very well with his stick, but when he has the puck he sees it pretty well. He makes a lot of really nice, subtle plays that help us get out of our defense or help us keep the ball. I think that’s hands down his greatest asset.”

Shea admitted that his nerves got the best of him at times last season.

As a result, he played a more conservative game.

“Last year I was kind of afraid to show any offense because I just wanted to keep the puck out of my net,” Shea said.

“I think there’s a part of my game, just the deception part, that didn’t come out much last year. It came out in spurts. I’m proud of that part of my game, making open plays and stuff like that.”

At the end of the season, with Graves sidelined due to injury, Shea teamed with St. Ivany to form a reliable rookie third line.

By this point, the nerves had subsided and Shea felt comfortable showing off the skills he believes can help win games.

“I got another chance to play in meaningful hockey — pretty much in the playoffs at the end of the year,” Shea said of his performance last season. “I just played fearlessly and played my game.”

Shea’s first NHL season was something of a roller coaster ride with multiple appearances and recalls to and from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the AHL.

Exemptions were also granted for Shea last December, but she managed to be released.

For now, Shea feels more comfortable with the Penguins, but overall, he knows nothing is certain in the long run – from playing time to a spot on the roster.

Going forward, his goal is to maximize every opportunity that comes his way.

“Whether you play eight minutes or 15 minutes,” he said, “you just have to take it as it comes.”

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