Andrew Shaw (born July 20, 1991) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He was selected in the fifth round, 139th overall, by the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the 2011 NHL entry draft and is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Blackhawks (2013 and 2015). Shaw also played for the Montreal Canadiens prior to the end of his career in 2021 due to suffering multiple concussions.
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Early life
Shaw grew up in Belleville, Ontario. He has three siblings. When he was growing up, many, including his own family, believed his younger brother had a better chance of making the NHL.
Playing career
Junior
Shaw made his OHL debut with the Niagara IceDogs in a September 20, 2008 game against the Ottawa 67's. He scored his first OHL goal in a game against the Plymouth Whalers. On November 14, Shaw had his first assist in a game against the Kitchener Rangers at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium Complex. Shaw had 17 points (eight goals and nine assists) overall in his OHL rookie season and ranked second on his team with 97 penalty minutes (PIM) in 56 regular-season games.
On October 17, 2009 in a game against the Sudbury Wolves, Shaw gained a goal and two assists making it his first career multi-point game. In a January 2, 2010 game at Sudbury he had his first career multi-goal game. Shaw had 11 goals and 25 assists in 68 regular-season tilts. He ranked fifth on the team with 36 points and paced the team with 129 PIM, recording 4 PIM in five postseason appearances.
Shaw had a season-best four assists in a September 15, 2010 game against the Guelph Storm. From October 14 to October 23, he had a point in six straight games, with two goals and six assists, and Shaw had points (four goals and two assists) in four straight games during the OHL playoffs. He also had three multi-goal games in 20 OHL postseason games in 2011. After the end of the season Shaw was honoured as the OHL's Hardest Working Player of the Year.
During the 2010-11 season, Shaw led Owen Sound with 135 penalty minutes and ranked fifth on the team with a junior career-high 54 points. This season gave him junior career highs, with 54 points, 22 goals, 32 assists, 135 penalty minutes in 66 regular-season games. He registered a junior-career best +17 plus/minus rating, led his team with 135 PIM, ranked third on his team with 10 goals and fourth with 17 points (10 goals and 7 assists) in 20 postseason appearances. Shaw paced the attack with 53 PIM on the way to the OHL Championship, paced all skaters at the 2011 Memorial Cup with seven points (2 goals and 5 assist) in four games.
Professional (2011–2021)
Despite missing two consecutive drafts, Shaw was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 5th round (139th overall) of the 2011 NHL entry draft. Shaw split time between the Chicago Blackhawks and their AHL associate the Rockford IceHogs in the 2011–12 season, playing 38 games for the IceHogs and 37 games for the Blackhawks and recording 12 goals, 11 assists and 23 points for both clubs.
Shaw made his professional debut in an October 8, 2011 game against the Grand Rapids Griffins. In Rockford's 5–3 win against the Peoria Rivermen on October 9 at Carver Arena Shaw made an assist on the game-winning goal, his first professional career point. In Rockford's 6–4 win against the Peoria Rivermen on October 28 at Carver Arena he scored the first goal of his professional career. Shaw had both the first multi-point game (one goal and two assists) and first shorthanded goal of his professional career in Rockford's 7–3 win over the Peoria Rivermen on November 25. In Rockford's 6–3 at-home victory over the Chicago Wolves on December 9, Shaw had the first multi-goal game of his professional career and he was named the #1 Star of the game. Shaw scored two goals in Rockford's 5–4 shootout loss to Grand Rapids Griffins on December 14 at Van Andel Arena. For the month of December, Shaw totalled nine points: eight goals and one assist.
On January 3, 2012, Shaw signed a three-year entry-level contract and was recalled the following day by Chicago to replace injured agitator Daniel Carcillo, his first career NHL recall. On January 5, Shaw made his NHL debut in a game against the Philadelphia Flyers, getting into a fight, with Flyers rookie Zac Rinaldo, on the second shift, the first fight of his NHL career. He needed stitches, but later returned to score the first goal of his NHL career on his first shot of his first game against Ilya Bryzgalov and played on the Blackhawks first line with Patrick Sharp and captain Jonathan Toews. On January 18, Shaw recorded his first career assist on a goal by Jonathan Toews in a game against the Buffalo Sabres. Between January 12 through January 18 Shaw had a goal in four straight games. Shaw would continue the remainder of the season for the Blackhawks contributing to either the fourth line with Jamal Mayers and John Scott or the third line with Bryan Bickell and Dave Bolland. Shaw missed three postseason tilts (April 17–21) in the Blackhawks first round exit to the Phoenix Coyotes due to a suspension from an illegal hit to Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith in game two. He would return to the Blackhawks lineup for game six but the Blackhawks would lose the game 4–0 to lose the series 4–2. Shaw would finish the 2012 playoffs pointless in three games.
Playing style
Shaw developed a reputation as an agitator for his aggressive play and verbal instigation while playing for the Chicago Blackhawks. He compared his playing style to Boston Bruins player Brad Marchand, whom he fought in the third game of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final, by saying "We're both agitators. We both play physical and we're always chirping." Joel Quenneville, who coached Shaw in Chicago from 2011 to 2016, praised Shaw by stating, "You're not going to find the same ingredient that [Shaw] provides, whether it's the game-to-game consistency of being an agitator, net-front presence on your power play, good in the room, good on the bench, good on the ice, smart hockey player, makes plays, brings that nastiness you appreciate and comes ready to play every game." Shaw has also gained the nickname "Mutt" from some of his teammates and fans regarding his rough style of play.
Shaw also performs an intricate warm-up ritual which he has practiced before every period since 2009. As part of his routine, Shaw strikes his shin pads approximately seven times with his hockey stick, practices fore and back-hand face-off draws, twirls his hockey stick in his hands, plants the knob-end of his stick onto the ground, and then walks in a circle around it.
Personal life
Shaw is known for wearing a black rubber bracelet with 'Ironworkers Local 721', the name of a local union in Belleville, on the back in tribute to ironworkers from his hometown and as a reminder of his roots. In July 2013, he brought the Stanley Cup back to his hometown for his day with the cup. In August 2013, Shaw auctioned the stitches from his facial injury—made famous as "the definitive image of the NHL playoffs"—for $6,500 and donated the money to The V Foundation for Cancer Research.
Shaw and his wife have two children. Shaw was diagnosed with attention deficit disorder in 2016.
In May 2023, on the Raw Knuckles Podcast with Chris Nilan and Tim Stapleton, Shaw discussed the alleged sexual assault of Kyle Beach, which happened during the Blackhawks' 2009–10 season. On the podcast, Shaw said that the issue "should have nothing to do with the players and the coaching staff", but instead should have been handled by the team's management and HR. He also said, "As a 20 year old, I would've never put myself in the situation Kyle was in. [...] Obviously, I don't know what was going on with Kyle, but he put himself in a bad situation." He received criticism for his comments, particularly for victim blaming.