Blackhawks set for reunion with Andrew Shaw

Jonathan Toews was asked Sunday morning whether he missed Andrew Shaw’s presence in the Blackhawks dressing room. Deadpanning and stone-faced, Toews dryly said “not really.”

After a second, Toews broke into a grin.

“I’m joking,” a smiling Toews said. “He was definitely a great presence in the room, sometimes almost overboard, but he always had energy and was always excited to be at the rink. He’s kind of like a little puppy dog. He was just happy to be there every day and happy to take advantage of every opportunity of how to get on the ice.”

For the first time, the Blackhawks will see what it’s like to face Shaw when they host the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday at the United Center. Dealt to Montreal in June for a pair of 2016 second-round picks after he and the Hawks couldn’t agree on a new deal, Shaw and the Canadiens are off to a strong start.

During his five seasons in Chicago, Shaw was part of two Stanley Cup champions and was a big part of the roster depth the Hawks might lack this season.

“Obviously those are memories you’re never going to forget and you don’t want to forget,” Shaw said. “You’ve just got to use them to inspire you to do it somewhere else as well and create the chemistry through the team and go out there and play hard.”

Shaw has six points and a plus-nine rating in 15 games and has continued the feisty style that Hawks fans loved. Montreal enters Sunday 13-1-1 and poised to contend for its first Stanley Cup since 1993.

And if the Habs do win that Cup, Shaw’s experience with the Hawks won’t hurt.

“When he first came in the league, I’m not sure what we was going to be capable of, but I think he continued to surprise everybody every single day, and I think he’s still getting better and he’s still striving to achieve more than what anyone thinks he’s capable of,” Toews said. “So, I think he’s got a lot of good qualities in that sense, as a player and as a guy off the ice, as well.”

Shaw, a fifth-round pick in 2011 after going unselected in the prior two drafts, was a favorite of Joel Quenneville. And Quenneville still feels strongly about Shaw.

“A special guy, special player, brings a lot of intangibles that you appreciate. I’m sure he’s done a nice job over there,” Quenneville said. “You miss a guy like that over the time that we had here with him. You with him well. You know he’ll be ready and you know that his team will be ready as well. It’ll be fun to get to finally coach against him but certainly you like all the intangibles and how he prepares and how he plays the game because he does so many things that are helpful for your team.”

Shaw, who had been expected to re-sign until the days leading to the trade, brought qualities Quenneville craves. And 15 games into the season, it’s still unclear whether Shaw has been adequately replaced.

“You’re not going to find the same ingredient that Shawzy 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,” Quenneville said. “It’s what you want and he brings it. You gotta love him for it. I mean, (Ryan Hartman) plays his game. Is he Shawzy? No, but you gotta play to your own strengths, and Shawzy’s got the whole package.”

On Sunday, Shaw will follow in the footsteps of many of his former teammates. Now it’s his turn to get the tribute and standing ovation he watched numerous times before.

“It’s obviously an emotional part,” Shaw said. “I was here for five years, guys that come back they get a nice video up on the board for them and the crowd gives them a nice applause, but it’s another hockey game. You’ve got to go out there and compete and really focus on the task.”