Montreal Canadiens: Is Andrew Shaw on the move as well?

Montreal Canadiens fans have an idea of the players who could be moved at the Trade Deadline, and they may have to add Andrew Shaw to that list.

Let’s play a quick little game. Fill in the blank: There’s a chance that  _______ is moved at the deadline. Max Pacioretty, Tomas Plekanec, and Alex Galchenyuk were most likely the names that came to mind. All make sense to some extent (except for maybe Galchenyuk).

Pacioretty could fetch a lot for the Habs and as some have mentioned already, would be the perfect two-year rental. Plekanec is a pending unrestricted free agent and trying to get something for him considering how the season has gone is the better option. And even though management has stressed that they don’t plan on giving up on Galchenyuk, it wouldn’t surprise me if Marc Bergevin moves him in an attempt to make a final push. Desperation and optimism is a terrible combination.

However, TSN’s latest trade bait list may have a new player added to the moving van in Andrew Shaw. Frank Seravalli had 20 players on his board, and three of them were from Montreal. Pacioretty was 5th, Galchenyuk 7th, and Shaw 13th.

Some fans on social media have floated the idea of Bergevin moving the 26-year-old, but it didn’t really add up. Keep in mind; I’m not saying that Shaw being on Seravalli’s list confirms that he always has one foot out the door, but it does give us something to talk about.

Similarly to Gallagher, Shaw has been one of the Habs’ most consistent forwards. His play all season has made him a go-to option for Claude Julien as he makes his presence known on the ice no matter where he plays. He is also great in the faceoff circle and has gotten the team on the board on several occasions by winning a draw. Three of Shea Weber‘s goals were directly from a Shaw faceoff win. Jeff Petry also benefitted from it against the Vancouver Canucks in December.

He also has a scoring touch of his own as he’s in a three-way tie for third on the Habs in goals with ten. Several teams who want to add experience, physicality and all-around reliable play could use someone like Shaw in a deep playoff run. Players go into the post-season with the mindset of doing whatever it takes to win a Stanley Cup, and we’ve seen how intense and willing he can be in key situations.

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There is a drawback, and it’s his contract. Shaw will be making $3.9 million for the next four seasons, and although it’s not terrible for the Habs themselves considering their cap situation, I could see other teams having a problem with it. It might be a different story if he was a pending UFA like Plekanec because then Montreal could just retain some salary.

That being said, I don’t think Shaw should be the one to go. He brings a lot to the team is one of those heart and soul guys that every organization should have. If Bergevin is given an offer on the Belleville native that could help the Habs in the future, he should do it, but that should be the only circumstance.

The frustrating this is that you can never tell with a season like this. Hopefully, Bergevin can get a fair return for whoever the Habs decide to move. One thing they don’t need is to be on the other end of a fleecing.

Next: A Playoff Push May Ruin the Plan

Do you think Shaw is being made available? If so, what could Bergevin get for him? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.