Blackhawks: Ryan Shea refuses to sign, here’s the full situation

Northeastern defenseman Ryan Shea will not sign with the Chicago Blackhawks in the offseason, instead opting to test free agency when his rights are waived.

Ryan Shea was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL draft. If this is the first time you’re hearing of the 23-year-old defensemen, it’s not a big loss for the Blackhawks.

Shea played two seasons in the USHL before playing four seasons at Northeastern University. In college, he played in 149 games, where he scored 10 goals and racked up 68 assists for 78 points.

Look, at 23 years old, he is nearing the average age of hitting his “prime”. He hasn’t played a single NHL game though, so I’m not worried about losing him.

The Blackhawks aren’t short of defensive prospects, so losing one isn’t a franchise killer. They’ve done just fine without him and can replace him with an NHL defenseman during free agency if they’d like.

The reasoning behind Shea’s decision is unknown. My guess would be he either doesn’t want to play in Chicago or he doesn’t believe he’ll have the best chance to succeed if he makes it to the NHL.

Either way, I don’t want players that don’t want to be in Chicago. Players that are unhappy where they’re draft never seem to pan out. The second they get a chance to skip town, they do. Maybe at one time, Shea wanted to join the Blackhawks, but playing four years in college when you have a chance to play in the NHL isn’t likely for players.

I’m not sure where he’ll end up but he could be making a big mistake with his career. The benefit Shea has is he can pick where he goes, to an extent.