Shero changed the culture during his five seasons in New Jersey, which qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Wednesday.
"My first couple years [in New Jersey], he brought me in, made sure I was taken care of as an 18-year-old," Hischier said. "He was always there and asked if I needed anything, and not just hockeywise. Hockeywise, he was very intelligent and understood the game of hockey, but I'm so thankful he always made sure I was taken care of moving forward and feeling comfortable. He was in contact with my family too, and told them he'll take care of me. So it was great to hear from my parents that I was in good hands. That's what I'll remember."
Shero also was the architect of a Stanley Cup championship with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008-09. He was GM in Pittsburgh from 2006-14 and left a lasting impression on players and staff there as well.
"It's going back a ways now, but I remember just being a young player and just how instrumental he was," Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby said. "We had lost, we finished last the year before he came in and really established how he wanted to change the culture and wanted to get back to winning. As a young guy he encouraged me to talk to him. He said his door was always open, and for a young player, you're pretty intimidated to talk to the GM. But he made it a point to bring me in there sometimes, talk hockey, kind of tell me what he expected of us.
"He was just someone who really empowered me personally, and I think us as a group. You could see what developed there. He had a huge impact on me, had a huge impact on the organization, and just forever grateful."
Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin said Shero was the first person to text him when he was still playing in Russia prior to his first NHL season in 2006-07.
"He was always nice to me but I [didn't] speak English really well and he gave me, like, a translator," Malkin said. "He signed [Sergei] Gonchar. He knew he helped me too. I think it's a big deal. He built a very good team. We played in the Final in 2009 ... win the Cup. All about him."
Pittsburgh defenseman Kris Letang also began his NHL career in 2006-07 under Shero.
"When I came into the League, Ray gave me all the opportunity to become the player I am today," Letang said. "I'm really grateful for that. I had the chance to win a Stanley Cup with him, so I only have great memories. I can only speak to the gentleman he is and how great he's been to me."
Devils forward Jesper Bratt remembered the quick conversation he had with Shero during the 2016 NHL Scouting Combine.
"It was pretty short because I think I was pretty much the last meeting of the whole combine with the Devils," Bratt said while cracking a bit of a smile. "I think he was probably pretty exhausted from having to meet all these guys before me. But obviously he said he watched me play and liked my intensity, liked my game. And that was it. A few months later, New Jersey chose me [in the sixth round of the 2016 NHL Draft]."
As fate would have it, the Penguins will play the Devils at Prudential Center on Friday (7 p.m. ET; SN-PIT, MSGSN, NHLN) in what should be an emotional game for both teams.
"It's the legacy of those that are here before that kind of laid the foundation, and for this iteration of the Devils specifically, so many important players you know that Ray was instrumental in bringing in to the fold and so many people that are leaders in our organization are here because of his work," New Jersey coach Sheldon Keefe said. "It's a day of reflection and honoring him, and perhaps fitting in that we were able to punch a playoff ticket [Wednesday], and then the Penguins coming to town tomorrow as well. So it'll be a great opportunity to honor him."
NHL.com independent correspondent Wes Crosby contributed to this story
