ANDREW SHAW At just 26 years old, Belleville’s Andrew Shaw has achieved a lot
By Tim Durkin @rock107durkin – for Total Sports Magazine
For most, an OHL title and a pair of Stanley Cup titles would be seen as a successful career, however there could still be more than a decade left of hockey for the former Quinte Red Devil.
Shaw spoke with us while on his way to Montreal to prepare for his second season with the Habs.
Q: What is it like to play for the Canadiens and in such a historic hockey market?
“Going into Montreal on the road was always a tough game. It’s good to be on the home side now. They love the game; they love winning. I enjoy it. We had a really good season last year, winning the division. We fell short in the playoffs. We know the fans will be there for us and we have to give them everything we got.
There’s a lot of things you’ve got to get used to, the language for one. The best thing about it is, it’s a hockey city. They treat us like gold.
Q: You don’t get much time off in the summer. What is the goal when you come back to the Quinte region?
“You try to get over the sorrows of the season. You try to rest and let the body recover. I usually take a month off from the ice. You need to let your body recuperate. Later in the summer you have to be in the gym five days a week, on the ice three times a week.
“I do a bunch of charity golf tournaments during the summer and it’s nice to give back, but there’s a lot of requests. That’s why going to the cottage is nice. Spend my time with family and friends. When I first come home, I don’t leave the cottage for about three weeks.”
Q: Chicago and Montreal are hockey markets. Is it tough to be yourself, when you are always in the spotlight?
“Hockey players like to joke around, have fun and even be idiotic. When you’re in focus, you represent your team, a company, a group. You have to behave. That’s why I like going back to the cottage, where I get to be that idiot kid I was growing up. No one is going to judge me.”
Q: You got married this summer. What was the planning like while you were in the middle of the season?
“I got to marry my best friend. The wedding went by way too fast. She (Chaunette) had a lot of the year to get everything set in stone. I helped out more than I wanted to and more then she wanted probably.”
Q: You are not an old guy by any means, however you have experience in big games. Do you see yourself as a veteran now?
“It’s tough coming in as a young guy. You have a lot of people telling you what to do. I just try to make sure the new guys feel comfortable. When you’re being yourself and having fun, you’re playing your best hockey.”
Q: How do you feel things will go in Montreal in 2017-18.
“I think we’re a team that needs to learn. We are a huge depth team. We don’t have one line that scores. Everyone needs to chip in and spread the wealth. Depth on D, depth on forward and we obviously have great goaltending. We’re going to get much better as the season goes on.”
Photo courtesy of Darlene Shaw /Pictured: Andrew and his nephew William Griffin