Blackhawks History: Andrew Shaw trades have been both good and bad

In the history of the Chicago Blackhawks organization, Andrew Shaw has been involved in two trades with the team. One was a great move, the other not so much.

Andrew Shaw is a fan favorite amongst fans of the Chicago Blackhawks. His contributions to the team’s two Stanley Cups in 2013 and 2015 were amazing, and there was once a time that I thought he would play his entire career in a Blackhawks uniform.

That all changed when the team sent him packing to the Montreal Canadians in exchange for a pair of second-round picks that summer. The date was June 24, 2016, and I think a lot of people were upset to see Andrew Shaw traded. However, this is the good trade out of the two, as the Blackhawks drafted a guy named Alex DeBrincat with their first of two second-round picks.

DeBrincat is now someone considered to be a steal from the draft, and someone that should have been drafted a lot higher. At the time of his first trade, Shaw was just 24 and had always been a feisty role player every team needs.

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The Blackhawks seemed to be getting the short end of the bargain as Shaw was a two-time champion that the team needed to trade due to salary cap issues. Well, they turned him into Alex DeBrincat and Chad Krys, a prospect who has not broken into the league yet.

Now the only issue is the team then decided to trade for him again a few years later, and Montreal did not forget what they gave up to get him. Chicago sent a second and seventh-round pick in 2020 as well as a third-round pick in 2021 for Shaw and a seventh-rounder in 2021 on June 30th, 2019, some three years after the initial trade.

The play of Andrew Shaw was not the issue when it came to this second deal, it is just that the contract and price were a bit high for my liking. Shaw would go on to play just 40 additional games in a Blackhawks uniform as his career was cut short due to concussion issues.

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I am happy Shaw got to finish his career in a Blackhawks uniform, and I hope in the future we can see him come back on the United Center ice for a one more shift type of ceremony other players have had. Shaw’s contract with the team will be up at the end of this season.