Montreal Canadiens Find Andrew Shaw Replacement In Corey Perry

The Montreal Canadiens signing Corey Perry may have solved an issue that did not get enough attention during their latest season.

There is no question that the 2018-19 Montreal Canadiens were a fun team to watch. Although they inevitably missed the playoffs by a small handful of points, there was a certain level of competition in almost every game played. Whilst there were several factors at play, a significant reason for this jump in their game was forward Andrew Shaw.

What did Andrew Shaw bring to the Montreal Canadiens?

Acquired during the summer of 2016 from the Chicago Blackhawks, Shaw was poised to bring a gritty game that had played a significant role in two Stanley Cup runs. However, the first two seasons of Shaw’s time with the Montreal Canadiens would go tougher than expected as the winger dealt with lengthy injuries and the team’s inability to find playoff success.

During the 2018-19, Andrew Shaw played some of his best hockey with the Montreal Canadiens and in his career. In 63 games played, Shaw recorded 19 points and 28 assists for a total of 47 points. This was certainly an anomaly for Shaw as he clearly overperformed compared to his regular 20-30 point range. However, the focus of this article is not on Shaw’s point totals. It is the role he plays that illustrates his significance in a lineup.

What the Montreal Canadiens often lacked in their lineup was a player who could play a pest role to rile up the opposition and spark his teammates. While this is a role that has been played by Brendan Gallagher in the past, his importance in the lineup in terms of contributing offensively hinders him from fully embracing that role.

A player, along the lines of Andrew Shaw, introduces sandpaper in the lineup that serves to irritate the opposition, even if it may land him in the penalty. The important players like this further increases come playoff time, where it becomes much harder to score, and players of this type know how to sneak the odd into the net.

This is a role that Andrew Shaw excelled at with the Chicago Blackhawks whilst playing alongside Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Unfortunately for the Montreal Canadiens, the team does not have a Kane or Toews on their roster, nor did they make the playoffs enough to see Shaw play the role he is best known for.

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Moving on without a Replacement

In the summer of 2019, the Montreal Canadiens traded Andrew Shaw back to the Chicago Blackhawks to free up cap space and capitalize on the player’s value. However, this left a noticeable hole in the Canadiens lineup. Throughout the season, the team was lacking in a player who introduced that same element of sandpaper into the lineup that could often spark the team (among other issues the team had that year).

Shaw’s absence from the Montreal Canadiens lineup is seldom discussed as the team was beset with a slew of other issues in terms of scoring and defense.

One Year Later

Fast forward to the winter of 2020 as the Montreal Canadiens prepare for the upcoming 2020-21 regular season, and it looks like the team may have finally replaced Andrew Shaw. On December 28th, the Montreal Canadiens signed Corey Perry to a one-year deal valued at $750 000.

During the playoffs, Corey Perry recorded 5 goals for 9 points in 27 games played. In that span, Perry aided the Dallas Stars on their run to the Stanley Cup by playing the role he excels in, being the team’s pest. Getting under the skin of the competition during the post-season is something both Shaw and Perry thrive on. By embracing this role, the impact is seen on their teammates who, in the process, may take advantage of a frustrated opposition.

Furthermore, the Corey Perry signing has a significant advantage over the Andrew Shaw contract in relation to cost. Perry plays that same role at a much lower cost (less than 20%) than that of Andrew Shaw’s $3.9 million.

Perry should not be expected to reach the near 40-point total akin to Andrew Shaw’s final year with the Montreal Canadiens as his offensive performance has dwindled over the years. However, he could bring the same energy that Shaw had during this time with the club.