Andrew Shaw #65 of the Chicago Blackhawks watches for the puck during the NHL game against the Winnipeg Jets on November 02, 2014 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Bill Smith/NHLI via Getty Images)
CHICAGO - Andrew Shaw started chirping right away. A few lines for Jonathan Toews. A few more for a couple new teammates.
It was like he never left.
Trying for a turnaround after two down years, the Chicago Blackhawks once again dipped into their past as part of a flurry of offseason moves. General manager Stan Bowman reacquired Shaw in a trade with Montreal in June, looking to add more grit and energy to a lineup that seemed like it needed a spark at times last year.
The 28-year-old Shaw returns to Chicago a married father, with another child on the way. But the pesky forward said his game remains very similar.
"Maybe just a little less reckless," he said. "Still physical, still hits, but just try not to lead with my head anymore."
Shaw was selected by Chicago in the fifth round of the 2011 draft. He helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2013 and 2015 before he was dealt to the Canadiens three years ago.
The addition of Shaw gives coach Jeremy Colliton another versatile piece. He could grab a spot on one of Chicago's top two lines, or provide some offense on the third or fourth group. Shaw set career highs with 28 assists and 47 points in his final season with Montreal. He scored a career-best 20 goals during the 2013-14 season with the Blackhawks.
"Whether he's top six or he could be on the fourth line, he's still going to contribute," Colliton said. "We want to have that sort of personality throughout our lineup. I think we have a bunch of guys who can move up and down."
Shaw became one of Chicago's most beloved players during his first stint with the team, and he said he has been greeted warmly since he came back this summer.
"Love. I mean pure love. It's awesome," he said. "People coming up to you, recognizing you, glad to have you back, saying they missed you. It feels good. It feels good to be loved."
WHO'S HERE
The Blackhawks acquired Calvin de Haan and Olli Maatta in a pair of June trades to help bolster their defensive pairings. But de Haan is coming back from right shoulder surgery and Maatta has struggled with injuries over the years, in addition to concerns about his skating ability.
WHO'S NOT
Chicago traded promising young defenseman Henri Jokiharju to Buffalo in July for Alex Nylander, a talented forward who hasn't lived up to expectations since he was selected by the Sabres with the eighth overall pick in the 2016 draft. The progress of the 20-year-old Jokiharju and 21-year-old Nylander will be closely watched in Chicago and Buffalo over the next couple seasons.
KEY PLAYERS
The addition of Robin Lehner gives Chicago one of the best goaltender situations in the league. Lehner agreed to a $5 million, one-year deal in free agency after he went 25-13-5 with a 2.13 goals-against average last season with the New York Islanders. Corey Crawford was sidelined by a concussion during each of the past two seasons, but showed flashes of his stellar form last year. If Lehner or Crawford goes down, the Blackhawks have Collin Delia waiting in the minors.
OUTLOOK
Chicago allowed a whopping 291 goals last season, second worst in the league behind Ottawa, and finished with the NHL's worst penalty kill at 72.7%. Bowman made several moves this summer to address those issues. If they don't work out, it could be another long year.
PREDICTION
Life is tough in the rough-and-tumble Central Division, home of the defending Stanley Cup champion Blues and the loaded Predators and Jets. But if de Haan and Maatta can stay healthy and Chicago gets more secondary scoring from its bottom two lines, it could return to the playoffs after a two-year absence.