Hockey community mourns the loss of longtime NHL general manager and Stanley Cup Champion Ray Shero at age 62

«Ray Shero's smile and personality lit up every room he walked into and brightened the day of everyone he met,» NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. «Widely respected throughout hockey for his team-building acumen and eye for talent, he was even more beloved for how he treated everyone fortunate enough to have known him.

«On behalf of the ownership, management, staff, and players of the New Jersey Devils, we are all stunned and deeply saddened by the passing of former General Manager Ray Shero,» Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald said in a statement. «Ray was a highly-respected executive, enthusiastic mentor, and most importantly, tremendous friend to many during his time in New Jersey. Ray came from a family that dedicated themselves to the game, and he continued to pass that commitment on."

«Ray was respected throughout the hockey community and even more within the scouting ranks,» said Dan Marr, vice president and director of NHL Central Scouting. «He loved being in the rinks with scouts at games and tournaments and was very forward thinking in approaching new concepts concerning the NHL Draft Combine and NHL Draft.»