Conacher brothers, Cory and Shane, relishing chance to be teammates for the time being

by Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
September 21, 2017

BRANDON – Brother vs. Brother, helping one another.

The last time Cory and Shane Conacher shared the same ice in a professional setting, they lineup on opposite teams when they were at center ice for the opening faceoff when the Syracuse Crunch faced the Toronto Marlies (Shane had just been called up) last season.

Now, they share the same ice with the same jersey at Lightning training camp.

The two are trying to appreciate every moment, not knowing how long it’s going to last.

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Cory Conacher is coming off a strong season back with Tampa Bay, helping lead the Syracuse Crunch to the Calder Cup Final, a season-long performance that landed him a new two-year contract.

Shane Conacher, four years younger than his brother, is in camp on a tryout contract hoping to land a contract at least at the American League Hockey level or higher. Conacher has already signed a deal with the Orlando Solar Bears of the East Coast Hockey League.

Cory is doing whatever he can to help his brother out, including reaching out to the Lightning during the summer to put in a word on behalf of Shane, looking to give his brother a chance to gain some exposure.

Tampa Bay had an open spot for a forward at training camp and invited Shane to be a part of the team’s rookie team and extended that to training camp, allowing the two brothers the opportunity to be teammates, at least for the time being.

”It’s very special,’’ Cory Conacher said. But “he deserves to be here.’’

Shane Conacher has followed down the same path as his older brother, playing for the Burlington Bears, their hometown team in the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League, and then to Canisius College outside of Buffalo. Neither were drafted by an NHL team and signed free agent deals in the American Hockey League.

It’s been a week in to training camp and the two are still in camp together.

”With Cory here, it’s been great,’’ Shane Conacher said. “He’s obviously help to kind of blaze my path, he’s done so much for me and my career, he’s helped me along the way. So I have to give him a lot of credit. I don’t want to follow in his shadow, but he’s helped give me an opportunity and I’m just trying to do my best here.’’

Nothing is guaranteed for Shane as camp moves on, even as he has survived the first round of cuts and the only player remaining in camp on a tryout contract (Reid McNeil and Nick Riopel are on AHL-only contracts as camp invitees).

With five games still remaining on the preseason schedule, the brothers are still dreaming of the opportunity to suit up together in an exhibition game, but those are not just handed out, things have to be earned.

”We don’t factor any of that (brothers playing together) in, we can’t’’ head coach Jon Cooper said. “We want to put the players best foot forward for our organization, so it’s carefully calculated who goes in these games. Ultimately, you have six games or seven games or eight, there’s never enough, you always want to get the guys in more. Unfortunately not everybody in camp is going to get in a game, but most guys will.”

The Lightning have two home games this weekend – Friday against Nashville and Sunday against Florida – so there is still a chance before the team cuts down to the 25-30 it’s expected to take in to the final week of the preseason. If that opportunity came along, It would mark the first time the two would be able suit up as teammates at something other than street hockey or roller hockey when they were growing up.

”As a guy in his situation it’s going to be tough for him to get a game in, but as long as he continues to play well,’’ Cory Conacher said. “But that would be a lot of fun, I’d like to be out there with him, he’s a smart player, he sees the ice well so I’m sure we would have some good chemistry out there. But whatever happens, I’ll be happy if he gets a game in.

In the meantime, Shane continues to just put in his work, hoping to make an impression with the organization.

”I haven’t set any expectations, I’ve just come to this camp to try and work my hardest,’’ said Shane, who missed the first half of last season with a shoulder injury. “I’m just trying to show the coaches what my game is like. Obviously getting in a preseason game would be awesome, but I haven’t tried to think about it because whatever happens, happens. I’ve tried my hardest here and shown what I can.’’

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