Pittsburgh Penguins forward opens up about scary injury that changed everything
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Penguins forward Connor Dewar recently opened up about the injury he sustained that was so severe he almost thought his career would be over for good.
Connor Dewar's 2025-26 season has been one of resilience and recovery. With four points in 11 games, the Pittsburgh Penguins forward is off to a much better start than last season.
But beyond the numbers, the biggest win is simply that he's healthy again, because it wasn't always the case.
Dewar's road to being at full health was a long and arduous one. He tore his rotator cuff during his season with the Minnesota Wild back in 2023-24 and required surgery.
The injury forced him to begin the following season on the long-term injured reserve list, and though he did return in November, it wasn't until late spring that he truly felt like himself again.
"You get a bit of a new lease on your career when you have an injury of that severity and just how fast things can be taken from you."
- Connor Dewar
- Connor Dewar
A March 2025 trade from Toronto to Pittsburgh gave Dewar a new opportunity, and boy did he make the most of it.
"I kind of had a slow start to the (season) last year coming off shoulder surgery," Dewar said earlier this month in Cranberry. "Missing camp, missing the first month and a half or so of the season. I was kind of behind the eight ball. Then I came here and got some opportunity and a bit of runway. Just tried to make the most of it."
Slotted into a bottom-six role, he chipped in with seven points (four goals, three assists) in 17 games, and also earned the trust of former head coach Mike Sullivan and his staff as a dependable penalty killer and energy bringer.
The Penguins later re-signed him to a one-year, $1.1 million contract after briefly allowing him to test free agency this past summer.
Connor Dewar is now a staple on the Penguins' 4th line
Dewar has now carved out a consistent role on Pittsburgh's fourth line alongside Blake Lizotte and Noel Acciari. The trio thrives on chemistry, effort, and is defensively responsible.
That chemistry was on full display in Thursday's 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers, when Dewar scored the game-winning goal.
Since joining the Penguins last March, only Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust, and Rickard Rakell have scored more goals for the Penguins than Dewar has.
His resurgence serves as a reminder that sometimes the biggest comeback isn't about production, it's about perseverance and ensuring you remain healthy.
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