NEWSLETTER
It’s not surprising, or shocking, but it is still sad to see a career come to a close for a player like Andrew Shaw. On Monday morning, in a video posted to the Chicago Blackhawks social media pages, the ten-year veteran and two-time Stanley Cup Champion announced his retirement from hockey.
“Thank you for giving a Mutt a home.”
A message from Andrew Shaw (@shawz15er). #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/XAN3L6jv27
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 26, 2021
Shaw played seven season with the Chicago Blackhawks and three with the Montreal Canadiens. He skated in 544 NHL games with 247 points and another 72 Stanley Cup Playoff games, 67 of which were with the Blackhawks. But the time has finally come to listen to his doctors, and you can never blame a guy for that.
“There comes a time where every athletes needs to realize that health is a priority, and their future with their family is most important.” Shaw says in his farewell video. “After several concussions, the doctors strongly recommended that I stop playing the game that I love. For the first time in my life, I’m going to listen.” He continues on to thank the organization and Stan Bowman for taking a chance on him, the team’s medical and equipment staff, his friends and family, former coaches, and the fans.
Shaw has one-year left on his contract at a $3.9M AAV Cap hit and will likely stay on the Blackhawks LTIR list, much like Brent Seabrook. If that is the case, that means Shaw will still get paid, but the Blackhawks cap space won’t be affected. Good for everyone.
As he mentions in the video, his health and concussions are what have led to the decision to hang up his skates for good. Shaw missed 14 months due to a concussion he suffered early in the 2019-20 season and had his 2021 season this year cut short, due to another concussion. And those obviously weren’t the only two, but they were the final straws.
Truly one of a kind.
Thank you for your relentlessness, your laughs, your grit, your chirps, your energy, and your joy for the game.
Thank you Andrew Shaw! pic.twitter.com/yx6r6BWJKO
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 26, 2021
He leaves a legacy in the NHL of being a physical, gritty, and loud-mouthed player that opponents hated and teammates loved. Shaw played with the intensity and willingness to sacrifice for his team to get the job done, a quality that endeared him to the Chicago fan base from the start of his career.
“I want to thank you for giving a Mutt a home, and the chance to live my childhood dream.”
