Sheary eager to reunite with Crosby, Guentzel on Penguins' top line

Conor Sheary said he would welcome the chance to reunite with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel on the Pittsburgh Penguins' top line when they play the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Qualifiers.

Sheary, a forward who won the Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2016 and 2017, said he has considered the possibility of playing with Crosby and Guentzel since the NHL paused the regular season March 12 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus. Guentzel was expected to need 4-6 months to recover after having shoulder surgery Dec. 31.

Because of the pause, Guentzel has had enough time to feel optimistic he'd be available to play against Montreal. If he does, Pittsburgh could use the line of Crosby at center with Guentzel at left wing and Sheary at right wing it had when it won the Stanley Cup in 2017.

"I think it would be nice if we were able to do that again," Sheary said Tuesday. "I think we had a good run together while I was here last time. I don't think much has changed in any of our games that it wouldn't be a smooth transition back to growing that chemistry.

"If we do get that opportunity, I think we can really contribute offensively and also be a responsible line at the same time. I think we can be excited for the fact that might happen."

Crosby had 47 points (16 goals, 31 assists) in 41 games this season, and Guentzel had 43 points (20 goals, 23 assists) in 39 games. Sheary had four points (one goal, three assists) in eight games after being acquired in a trade from the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 24; Sheary had been traded to the Sabres on June 27, 2018, after playing his first three NHL seasons with the Penguins.

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Sheary has participated in groups with Crosby and Guentzel during limited voluntary workouts at the Penguins facility the past week.

Training camps will open July 10 in Phase 3 of the NHL Return to Play Plan, provided medical and safety conditions allow and the NHL and the NHL Players' Association reach an agreement on resuming play.

Play will resume in Phase 4 with the Stanley Cup Qualifiers, with dates and the locations of two hub cities -- one for the 12 Western Conference teams, one for the 12 Eastern Conference teams -- to be announced. The top four teams in each conference will play a three-game round-robin for seeding, and the others will play best-of-5 series to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Pittsburgh (40-23-6, .623 points percentage) is the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference and will play the 12th-seeded Canadiens (31-31-9, .500) in a best-of-5 with the winner advancing to the playoffs.

After he was reacquired, Sheary slotted into Pittsburgh's first line at right wing with Crosby at center. Jason Zucker, who could move to the second line with center Evgeni Malkin if Guentzel is able to return, played left wing with Crosby and Sheary.

In the 2017 playoffs, Crosby won the Conn Smythe Trophy voted as playoff MVP for the second straight season with 27 points (eight goals, 19 assists). Sheary had seven points with each of his two goals coming against the Nashville Predators in the Stanley Cup Final; Guentzel had 21 points (13 goals, eight assists) as a rookie in the playoffs.

"Obviously, my first year, we had a lot of fun playing together," Guentzel said June 10. "It was kind of cool that 'Sid and the Kids' kind of got a little name going around. I've thought about it. It would be an awesome experience again because we really feed off each other. We know each other's games. So if we have that opportunity, we'll hopefully have to get some time to get that chemistry back. … Hopefully, we can make another run for it."

Sheary said he hasn't seen a discernable difference in Crosby since returning to Pittsburgh. Because of his familiarity with how the Penguins captain likes to play, he thinks his transition back to the Penguins has gone well.

"I haven't noticed much [change in Crosby's game], specifically," Sheary said. "I think he's a pretty consistent player. His work ethic has always been the same. The mold of his game has always been the same. With the few games I was able to play alongside him since I got back, I think it was a pretty smooth transition.

"I think his game is very similar, if not the same, as what it was. I think he tries to stick to that and he tries to play the same way night in and night out. It just goes to show the consistency of his game. I don't think much has changed."