The Blackhawks need Andrew Shaw now more than ever

This Blackhawks team looks a lot different than what fans are used to seeing. As Chicago moves forward with the rebuild, the changes are just going to continue. The team is building around younger players like Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat, so it is nice to have a familiar face like Andrew Shaw around.

The road back to hockey was not easy for Andrew Shaw, who missed most of last season due to concussion issues, but he made it back. The Blackhawks part-time assistant captain has been a great leader thus far for the Blackhawks and has been a difference-maker on the ice as well.

Shaw is a reliable forward that can play in any situation for the ‘Hawks. The team has seen him in on the power play and the penalty kill, and he is the type of player that can be out in the final minute of a close game when a goal is needed.

The 29-year-old has three points in ten games for the Blackhawks this season. His goal and two assists have all come on the man advantage showing just how vital his scrappy style of play is for this team’s success.

The Blackhawks are lucky to have Andrew Shaw back with the team.

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Shaw is a physical player, as can be seen by his 18 hits thus far. Plus, he is a player that helps generates turnovers for the team to then turnaround and get scoring chances out of. Shaw has three turnovers this season and is a 52 percent in the faceoff dot.

While I hope that Shaw can be a full-time center for this team at some point this season, it is pretty interesting to see how many different situations the ‘Hawks can use him. Similar to players like Mattias Janmark, Shaw can play in any type of situation.

Andrew Shaw being traded during the 2016 offseason was hard to see as a Blackhawks fan. Knowing that the draft pick acquired for Andrew Shaw turned into Alex DeBrincat eases the pain, but at the same time, Shaw has always been a fan favorite.

Shaw was 23 years old when he won the 2015 Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks. He certainly has had a long ride since then to get him to where he is at today.

Hopefully, all the young players in the locker room are learning a lot from Andrew Shaw, as the veteran winger definitely is one of the most successful forwards on the team outside of Patrick Kane.