As draft day approached, Sheahan had no idea where he'd land.
The center from Notre Dame had just completed a promising 22-point sophomore season in the CCHA in 2010-11 that ended in a loss in the Frozen Four.
As draft day approached, Sheahan had no idea where he'd land.
The center from Notre Dame had just completed a promising 22-point sophomore season in the CCHA in 2010-11 that ended in a loss in the Frozen Four.
Interest was high.
At the NHL Draft Combine earlier in the year, he'd spoken to 26 of the 30 NHL organizations, and he met with three teams at length - the Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks and Florida Panthers - the night before the draft.
Scouts liked his size (6-foot-2, 202 pounds) and his ability to play either down the middle or on the wing as a prototype NHL power forward.
Ranked 22nd among North American skaters by Central Scouting, the St. Catharines, Ontario, native was selected by the Detroit Red Wings with the No. 21 pick in the 2010 NHL Draft.
Sheahan would play another season for the Fighting Irish before turning pro. He'd suit up for only one game with the Red Wings in each of his first two pro seasons, while grooming his game with Grand Rapids in the American Hockey League.
A seven-game stint with Grand Rapids after leaving school was followed in 2012-13 by a 36-point performance in 72 games. That spring, Sheahan would be part of a Calder Cup-winning team, which beat Syracuse in six games.
The next season again began in Grand Rapids, but Sheahan was called up to the Red Wings and scored his first goal on Jan. 11, 2014, against the Los Angeles Kings. He finished with nine goals and 24 points in 42 games, and followed that up with 36 points in 79 games in 2014-15.
On June 16, 2016, following a 14-goal, 25-point season, the Red Wings signed Sheahan to a two-year contract.
