Canadiens' Andrew Shaw suspended three games for boarding incident
The new Habs forward will miss three of the team's five remaining preseason games
By
Chris Peters
•
1 min read
New Montreal Canadiens forward Andrew Shaw made headlines Tuesday night when he collected 30 penalty minutes in a single shift that included a dangerous hit, riling up the crowd during a fight and ultimately a game misconduct.
It's the hit that is going to cost the noted agitator.
The NHL announced Thursday that Shaw has been suspended three preseason games for boarding Washington Capitals defense prospect Connor Hobbs during Tuesday night's preseason contest. Here is the full explanation from the league's Department of Player Safety:
The key element that made this hit suspendable is that Hobbs was never eligible to be hit on the play. His numbers are to Shaw the entire time and there were no sudden movements that would make that a legal body check. Shaw had time to either minimize the contact or completely avoid the check, but he chose to drive Hobbs hard into the glass.
Hobbs left the game briefly, but returned to action. The absence of injury may have saved Shaw from a more severe suspension.
Additionally, Shaw has been suspended previously one other time for a playing rules violation.
The league also acknowledged that Shaw was taken out before the play by Washington forward Jay Beagle in what had the appearance of a slew-foot. However, the Department appears to take the position that the two players were merely tangled up.
What happened with Beagle is immaterial to the hit on Hobbs, anyway. It was a bad hit that is getting exactly the kind of suspension it deserves. It would obviously have a bigger impact if this were the regular season, but there's not much reason to extend the punishment beyond the three games.
That was Shaw's first game in a Canadiens uniform since being traded to Montreal from the Chicago Blackhawks this summer. The two-time Stanley Cup winner is set to enter the first season of the six-year contract he signed with the Habs after the trade.
Montreal has five preseason games left on their schedule, meaning Shaw will only get two more games to get acclimated with his new club. The soonest Shaw could return to action is Oct. 4 against the Boston Bruins.
