Ryan Shea takes playing time as it comes in year 2 with Penguins

Ryan Shea found himself swimming in uncharted waters last season when he made the Pittsburgh Penguins’ roster out of training camp.

He went on to spend extended time with the club, appearing in 31 NHL games by year’s end.

All marked new accomplishments for Shea, who made his NHL debut with the Penguins last October after spending parts of three seasons with the Dallas Stars’ American Hockey League affiliate in Texas.

However, while general manager Kyle Dubas re-signed the 27-year-old defenseman to a one-year, $775,000 deal in July, nothing was guaranteed for Shea this preseason, which featured heavy competition on the Penguins’ blue line.

Shea prevailed, earning a spot with the Penguins for the second straight season.

“I think it definitely helps knowing the systems, knowing the (penalty kill) and I’m more comfortable — more comfortable around the guys, the coaches, can talk to them whenever and get their feedback,” Shea said. “My confidence is definitely at an all-time high.

“That’s how you have to be with so many guys battling for a couple spots. You’ve got to have that confidence.”

Shea has rotated with Jack St. Ivany on the Penguins’ third defensive pairing alongside Ryan Graves.

St. Ivany, who also made his NHL debut with the Penguins last year, has played in five games, with Sunday’s puck drop in Winnipeg marking Shea’s second start of the season.

Through two games, Shea is averaging 15 minutes, 30 seconds of ice time while also factoring in regularly on the penalty kill. He has yet to record any points.

Coach Mike Sullivan appreciates the ability of Shea, a left-handed shot, to play both sides of a defensive pairing on top of his familiarity with the Penguins’ overall system and penalty kill.

Additionally, Shea’s instincts with the puck have stuck out.

“I think Ryan does a lot of really good, subtle things with the puck,” Sullivan said. “He has real good poise, he doesn’t just throw pucks away, he has good vision and he has the ability to make outward passes tape to tape.

“The subtleties of his game with the puck is what impresses me the most about Ryan. He defends really well with his stick, but he sees it pretty good when he has the puck. He makes a lot of real nice subtle plays that help us get out of our end or help us keep possession. I think that, without question, is probably his biggest asset.”

Shea admitted his nerves got the better of him at times last season.

As a result, he played a more conservative game.

“Last year, I was kind of afraid to show any bit of offense because I just wanted to keep the puck out of my net,” Shea said.

“I think there’s a part of my game, just the deception part, that didn’t come out a ton last year. It came out in spurts. I take pride in that part of my game, opening up plays and stuff like that.”

At the end of the season, with Graves sidelined because of injury, Shea teamed up with St. Ivany to form a dependable rookie third line.

By that time, the jitters had worn off and Shea felt comfortable showcasing the skills he believes can contribute to winning games.

“I got another chance, got to play in meaningful hockey — pretty much playoff games at the end of the year,” Shea said of his play down the stretch last season. “I was just playing fearless and playing my game.”

Shea’s debut NHL campaign was something of a roller coaster, featuring several assignments and recalls to and from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.

Shea also was placed on waivers last December but managed to clear.

For now, he feels more settled with the Penguins but overall, he knows nothing — from playing time to a spot on the roster — is certain in the long-term.

Moving forward, he aims to maximize every opportunity he gets.

“Whether that’s playing eight minutes or playing 15,” he said, “you’ve just got to take it how it comes.”