When Andrew Shaw was acquired by the Habs for two second-round draft picks in
2016, it seemed like somewhat of a steal at the time. Many fans who watched
playoff hockey were familiar with his exploits as a member of the Stanley
Cup-winning Chicago Blackhawks teams of 2013 and 2015. He was the prototypical
high energy player who was not afraid of antagonizing the opposition in the
offensive zone and carried with him enough skill to generate scoring chances
and play at both ends of the ice.

There was also a downside; his sometimes reckless play resulted in several
fines and suspensions. While he was healthy with the Blackhawks, he played only
 68 and 51 games in his two years with the Canadiens, and will not be starting
the regular season with the team in 2018-19 as he is recovering from knee
surgery. Only 27, Shaw potentially has many years of competitive hockey ahead
of him, but his health raises questions about how long he can continue his
current style of play.Shaw';s Attitude is Needed in the Dressing Room

In recent weeks, the Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin made it clear his
dissatisfaction with the team centred around their attitude last year. This
opinion fueled his apparent feud with captain Max Pacioretty, who is still with
 the Habs but is clearly a subject of trade rumours. It may also have
contributed to the departure of Alex Galchenyuk, who was traded to the Arizona
Coyotes in June for Maxi Domi. While Pacioretty was often criticized for his
lack of on-ice commitment, Shaw was seen as a player who stood up for his
teammates and wore his emotions on his sleeve, often to his detriment. You
would be hard-pressed to find someone who doubted his desire to compete.Andrew
Shaw straddles the line when it comes to NHL rules. But he seems to get away
without discipline more times than not. (Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports) 

 An "emotional" player always faces a dilemma when he chooses to exercise more
 self-control. If he reigns in his temper too much, he may lose the added edge
that contributed to his success. If he continues to play recklessly he will
incur further, and more severe discipline from the league. In this respect,
Shaw made progress last year, reducing his penalty minutes and more
specifically, avoiding penalties at inopportune times that otherwise would have
 affected the outcome of games.

There is no doubt he has proven his value to coach Claude Julien. He was able
to play at both centre and on the wing when needed last year and was strong on
faceoffs while maintaining a solid shooting percentage. He was also not afraid
of battling in the crease and creating offensive plays that started in his own
end. The big question next year is where he will play.Shaw';s Future Without
Pacioretty

Last season, Shaw played consistently with Pacioretty and Phillip Danault. If
the Habs'; captain is traded, Julien will have to experiment with different
combinations by matching him with another playmaking winger who can create the
simple passing plays he thrives on.

Shaw';s skill would clearly be wasted on the fourth line, and the Canadiens
appear to have a solid checking, third line with the return of Tomas Plekanec,
the addition of Joel Armia, and Charles Hudon, who played well with Plekanec
last season.

The recent signing of Danault to a three-year deal indicates he fits
prominently in the team';s near future. A jack-of-all-trades, he can expect
time on the top two lines before first-round pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi is ready
to join the team. This means Shaw will not be used at centre unless the
Canadiens catch the injury bug again next year. With Brendan Gallagher coming
off his best season and Artturi Lehkonen expected to have a breakout year,
where does this leave Shaw?Domi and Shaw: A Match Made in Heaven?

A potential Pacioretty trade will allow Lehkonen to move back to his natural
position at left wing and open a spot for Shaw on the second line, potentially
with Domi and Danault. Domi';s relentless energy and passing ability,
especially with quick feeds to the slot where Shaw is in his element, are a
perfect match. Both players also flourish in five-on-five situations. In his
first media scrum, Domi was quick to mention his potential linemate:

Max Domi meets with media in #Habs Brossard locker room #HabsIO
pic.twitter.com/nk9VFSKw9U

- Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) June 30, 2018

"You got guys like Brendan Gallagher, you got Shawsy (Andrew Shaw), I mean the
list really goes on with all the young kids coming up. Just to be a part of
that and to fit in is pretty special. So huge honour. I'm really, really
excited. I'm not really sure what kind of role I'll have, but whatever that is
I'm going to try and do it to the best of my ability."Trading Shaw Is Not an
Option

With five years remaining on a contract that will pay him $3.9 million next
year, Shaw would not be a bargain, especially considering his health and often
erratic behaviour. Even if he has achieved more balance emotionally, the two
concussions will make any hockey GM nervous, and he has not put up the type of
statistics worthy of a major gamble either. In some respects, keeping him may
be a blessing in disguise for the Habs.

The Canadiens will feel his absence when they start training camp in September.
 While he continues to recover, Bergevin and Julien will have to demonstrate to
 the fans and media their commitment to Shaw as a player. After all, if an
attitude adjustment is what is needed for the Habs to turn their fortunes
around, they must get behind the player who embodies the spirit of giving 100%
every time he steps on the ice.

The post Is Shaw the Canadiens'; Forgotten Man? appeared first on The Hockey
Writers.

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