Riley Michael Sheahan (born December 7, 1991) is a Canadian professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two o ...

centre Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricit ...

for

EHC Biel EHC Biel-Bienne is a professional ice hockey club based in the bilingual city of Biel/Bienne, Switzerland and plays in the National League (NL). Since the city of Biel is completely bilingual, alongside the German name EHC Biel (Abbr: EHCB) the te ...

of the

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...

(NL). He was drafted 21st overall by the

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

in the

2010 NHL Entry Draft The 2010 NHL Entry Draft was the 48th NHL Entry Draft, held on June 25–26, 2010 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, home arena of the Los Angeles Kings. This was the first time Los Angeles hosted the NHL Entry Draft. An unofficial r ...

. Sheahan has previously played in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...

(NHL) for the Red Wings,

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have play ...

Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference, and initially played their home game ...

Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...

Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conf ...

and

Seattle Kraken The Seattle Kraken are a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle. The Kraken compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and began play during the league's 2021–22 season. ...

Early life

Sheahan was born on December 7, 1991, in St. Catharines, Ontario, to Mike and Peggy Sheahan. Basketball was the dominant sport in his family, as both of his parents had played: his mother and her twin sister were

Ontario University Athletics Ontario University Athletics (OUA; french: Sports universitaires de l'Ontario) is a regional membership association for Canadian universities which assists in co-ordinating competition between their university level athletic programs and providin ...

all-stars for

Brock University Brock University is a public research university in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. It is the only university in Canada in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, at the centre of Canada's Niagara Peninsula on the Niagara Escarpment. The university bea ...

, while his father coached high school basketball after his playing career ended. Sheahan was a shooting guard for

St. Francis Catholic Secondary School Saint Francis Catholic Secondary School is one of three Niagara Catholic District School Board secondary schools located in St. Catharines, Ontario. It is part of the Niagara Catholic District School Board. History Saint Francis Catholic Seconda ...

until ninth grade, when he decided that he would rather focus on

than basketball.

Playing career

Junior

Sheahan played junior B ice hockey in the

Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League The Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL) is a Canadian junior ice hockey league based in Southern Ontario, Canada. The league is sanctioned by the Ontario Hockey Association, Ontario Hockey Federation, and Hockey Canada. The league is ...

with the St. Catharines Falcons playing both centre and wing. During his first season with the Falcons, Sheahan played with

Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...

first round pick

Daultan Leveille Daultan Michael Leveille (born August 10, 1990) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers in the first round, 29th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, becoming the first player in NHL history to ...

. Sheahan collected 49 goals and 85 assists over two seasons with the Falcons. He was recognized for his offensive output with the OHA Junior B Top Prospect Award in 2008.

College

Following the two seasons in St. Catharines, Sheahan decided to forgo

major junior hockey Junior hockey is a level of competitive ice hockey generally for players between 16 and 21 years of age. Junior hockey leagues in the United States and Canada are considered amateur (with some exceptions) and operate within regions of each cou ...

with the

Erie Otters The Erie Otters are a Major junior ice hockey team based in Erie, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Midwest division of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of only three American teams in the circuit. The team name refers to the North Am ...

of the

Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...

(OHL) to play

NCAA Division I NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athleti ...

college ice hockey College ice hockey is played principally in the United States and Canada, though leagues exist outside North America. In the United States, competitive "college hockey" refers to ice hockey played between colleges and universities within the g ...

with the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic university, Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend, Indiana, South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin fo ...

Fighting Irish The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are the athletic teams that represent the University of Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish participate in 23 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I intercollegiate sports and in the NCAA's Division ...

of the

Central Collegiate Hockey Association The Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) is a college athletic conference that participates in the NCAA's Division I as a hockey-only conference. The current CCHA began play in the 2021–22 season; a previous incarnation, which the curr ...

(CCHA).Riley Sheahan Bio - UND.COM - University of Notre Dame Official Athletic Site
/ref> While with the Fighting Irish, Sheahan was invited to take part in Canada's 2011 National Junior Team selection camp

Professional

Detroit Red Wings

On April 5, 2012, the

signed Sheahan to a three-year, entry-level contract. On April 7, 2012, he made his NHL debut for Detroit against the

Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...

. On January 11, 2014, Sheahan scored his first career NHL goal, against

Jonathan Quick Jonathan Douglas Quick (born January 21, 1986) is an American professional ice hockey goaltender for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Quick was selected in the third round, 72nd overall, by Los Angeles at the 2005 NHL ...

of the

Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...

. On July 1, 2014, the Detroit Red Wings signed Sheahan to a two-year, $1.9 million contract extension. On June 16, 2016, the Red Wings signed Sheahan to another two-year contract extension. On April 9, 2017, Sheahan scored his only two goals of the 2016–17 season during the final game at

Joe Louis Arena Joe Louis Arena was an arena in Downtown Detroit. Completed in 1979 at a cost of US$57 million as a replacement for Olympia Stadium, it sat adjacent to Cobo Center on the bank of the Detroit River and was accessible by the Joe Louis Arena sta ...

, including the final goal in the arena's history. Sheahan had set a team record for the most games to start the season without a goal, and he also set an NHL record as the only forward with at least 100 shots to start the season without a goal. Riley Sheahan 2017-11-10 2

Pittsburgh Penguins

On October 21, 2017, Sheahan was traded to the

(along with a fifth-round pick in the

2018 NHL Entry Draft The 2018 NHL Entry Draft was the 56th NHL Entry Draft. The draft was held on June 22–23, 2018, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The 2018 NHL Entry Draft was the second of two professional sports drafts to be held in the Dalla ...

) in exchange for Scott Wilson and a third-round pick in 2018. He finished the 2017–18 season with 32 points in 81 games. On June 27, 2018, Sheahan signed a one-year contract with the Penguins.

Florida Panthers

On February 1, 2019, Sheahan was traded to the

(along with teammate

Derick Brassard Derick Brassard (born September 22, 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre currently playing for the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League. He previously played in the NHL for the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, Pit ...

, a second-round pick and two fourth-round picks) in exchange for

Nick Bjugstad Nicholas Jay Bjugstad (born July 17, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Florida Panthers in the first round (19th overall) of ...

and

Jared McCann Jared McCann (born May 31, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). McCann was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round (24th overall) of the 20 ...

. He finished the 2018–19 season with 19 points in 82 games.

Edmonton Oilers

On September 5, 2019, Sheahan signed a one-year, $900,000 contract with the

. He skated in 66

regular season In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport Sport pertains to any form of competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain, or improve physical ability ...

games with the club, scoring 15 points. He also went scoreless in four

postseason The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...

games.

Buffalo Sabres

On December 29, 2020, Sheahan signed a professional tryout contract with the

to attend their training camp. On January 8, 2021, the Sabres signed Sheahan to a one-year, $700,000 contract. In the shortened season, Sheahan appeared in 53 regular season games for the Sabres in a checking-line role. He contributed with 4 goals and 13 points, as the club finished bottom of the league.

Seattle Kraken

As a free agent from the Sabres, Sheahan was signed to a one-year, $850,000 contract with expansion club the

on September 1, 2021. Sheahan scored the Kraken’s first ever preseason goal on September 26, 2021 in a 5-3 win against the

Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...

. After making the Kraken opening night roster, Sheahan endured a short assignment to the

Charlotte Checkers The Charlotte Checkers are a minor-league professional ice hockey team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the American Hockey League (AHL), and are the top minor league affi ...

of the AHL, before returning and remaining on the Kraken in a depth forward role. He appeared in 69 regular season games, used as the teams primary penalty killer, in collecting 4 goals and 13 assists for 17 points.

Return to Buffalo

On August 10, 2022, Sheahan as a free agent returned to the Buffalo Sabres, on a one-year, two-way, $950,000 contract. On October 31, 2022, Sheahan was assigned to the

Rochester Americans The Rochester Americans (colloquially known as the Amerks) are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League; the team is an owned and operated affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, ...

of the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...

after being waived by the Sabres. The Sabres brought him back to their NHL roster on November 15, 2022. On November 27, 2022, after two games with the Sabres, Sheahan was placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract because of Sheahan’s refusal to return to AHL affiliate, Rochester Americans.

EHC Biel

On December 1, 2022, Sheahan joined

of the

(NL) for the remainder of the 2022–23 season.

Personal life

Sheahan is the nephew by marriage of Rocky DiPietro, a member of the

Canadian Football Hall of Fame The Canadian Football Hall of Fame (CFHOF) is a not-for-profit corporation, located in Hamilton, Ontario, that celebrates great achievements in Canadian football. It is maintained by the Canadian Football League (CFL). It includes displays about ...

. He plays guitar in his free time. In 2021, Sheahan and fellow hockey player Tyler Smith started the Speak Your Mind

podcast A podcast is a program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. For example, an episodic series of digital audio or video files that a user can download to a personal device to listen to at a time of their choosing ...

to address mental health issues in and out of professional sports. Sheehan was diagnosed with depression.

Legal issues

On October 29, 2012, Sheahan was stopped by police in

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County, Michigan, Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the List of municipalities in Mi ...

, after which a roadside test determined he was driving with a blood-alcohol level of 0.30, nearly four times the legal limit. Sheahan was wearing a purple

Teletubby ''Teletubbies'' is a British children's television series created by Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport for the BBC. The programme focuses on four differently coloured characters known as the Teletubbies, named after the television screens on thei ...

costume and was carrying the ID of fellow Red Wings' prospect Brendan Smith when arrested. He told police he was carrying Smith's ID so he could get into bars, as he was underage at the time. Sheahan pleaded guilty in Michigan's 61st District Court on December 13, 2012, to operating a car with a blood-alcohol level of 0.17 or higher. He was sentenced to one year probation and ordered to spend 49 hours on a work crew. Sheahan had previously been arrested on alcohol-related charges when he was charged with public intoxication and consumption of alcohol by a minor in 2010 when he was a freshman at Notre Dame.

Career statistics

Awards and honours

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sheahan, Riley 1991 births Living people Buffalo Sabres players Canadian expatriate ice hockey players in Switzerland Canadian ice hockey centres Canadian people of Irish descent Detroit Red Wings draft picks Detroit Red Wings players Edmonton Oilers players EHC Biel players Florida Panthers players Grand Rapids Griffins players National Hockey League first-round draft picks Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's ice hockey players Pittsburgh Penguins players Rochester Americans players Seattle Kraken players Ice hockey people from St. Catharines