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Major Update Emerges on Penguins Defenseman Ryan Shea

Originally posted on Hockey Unplugged | By Tom Banks | Last updated Mar 12, 2025 3:10 PM ET

Ryan Shea is having a solid season for the Pittsburgh Penguins, and now it appears the 28-year old is working his way back into the lineup.

After grinding his way through the AHL for the past number of years, Ryan Shea is getting an extended look in the NHL in 2024/25, but unfortunately, he has recently gone down with an injury after a strong start to the season.

With one game missed already after the team deemed him week-to-week with an upper body injury, Shea's return could come sooner, rather than later after the latest update.

According to reports, Shea was back on the ice before Penguins practice, although he was just using his right hand on his stick, indicating that the injury has to do with his left hand and that he may not be close to a return.

After making his NHL debut a year ago and playing 31 games with Pittsburgh, Shea has settled into a solid role in 2024/25, posting 2 goals and 5 points in the 30 games he's played with the team this year.

As a result of his solid play, the team elevated Shea to their top pairing before he unfortunately went down with injury, and given that they may look to move Erik Karlsson in the summer, it's likely that he'll have a big role moving forward.

Ultimately, this is a blue line that has much less talent than we've seen in years for Pittsburgh, and while Shea's likely never going to be a star at the NHL level, he knows his role and plays it well, and if he can get healthy this season and continue his improvement, the team may have a very reliable, steady player on their hands for years to come.

This article first appeared on Hockey Unplugged and was syndicated with permission.

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