Shaw getting noticed now with Hawks

Watching Blackhawks rookie Andrew Shaw play as well as he has in his first seven NHL games, it’s a wonder he lasted until the fifth round of last June’s entry draft.

“Of my third year eligible?” joked Shaw.

That’s right, while Shaw finally heard his name called in the fifth round (139th overall) by the Hawks in the 2011 draft as a 20-year-old, it came after he was bypassed in 2009 and 2010, when he was eligible to be selected both years.

“I guess I’m just a late bloomer,” he said.

It certainly helped Shaw to get seen more by playing on a strong Owen Sound team in 2010-11 in juniors, when he had 22 goals, 54 points and 135 penalty minutes. Even more scouts saw him in the Memorial Cup playoffs when he scored 10 goals and 17 points in 20 games.

“The first two years, I didn’t really watch the draft,” Shaw said. “I wasn’t rated or didn’t talk to any teams. But last year, I talked to a few teams before the draft. I was supposed to go in the sixth round so when I heard my name called in the fifth, I was pretty excited.”

Shaw’s size didn’t help him either when it came to being noticed by scouts. But while he is listed at 5-feet-10 and 180 pounds, he plays a bigger game.

Shaw, who models his game after Toronto Maple Leafs great Wendel Clark, opened the eyes of Hawks coach Joel Quenneville and others in the organization with his energetic play, first at prospects camp last July and then at training camp. Shaw even dropped the gloves and fought Daniel Carcillo during one camp scrimmage.

Since being recalled from Rockford on Jan. 4 because of injuries to Carcillo and Marcus Kruger, Shaw has been impressive, and then some. He scored a goal on his second shift of his first NHL game Jan. 5 at Philadelphia and hasn’t slowed down.

Shaw’s goal in Sunday’s 4-3 win over San Jose was his fourth in seven games and turned out to be the game winner.

Quenneville doesn’t throw praise around easily, especially with rookies, but Shaw is a different story.

“You’ve got a guy like Shaw that has come up and he gives you some offense, but his instincts in all aspects of the game are high end,” Quenneville said. “He brings some energy to our team game. He’s a real resilient kind of guy, he just keeps going, and you like him.

“He’s got a quick stick and he’s got patience with the puck and good play recognition.”

Most rookies come up from the minors and get overwhelmed by the pace of play in the NHL, but Shaw has handled it like only a few do. Fellow rookie Jimmy Hayes has done the same thing in the last few weeks.

“I’ve always played high energy games,” Shaw said. “The pace is a little bit faster, but I feel more comfortable playing that way. You’re playing with better players so they’re easy to play with.”

The Hawks have hit the jackpot with later draft picks in recent years, and they could have another find in Shaw.

Kruger was a fifth-round pick in 2009, Ben Smith a sixth-rounder in 2008, Niklas Hjalmarsson a fourth-rounder in 2005, Troy Brouwer a seventh-rounder in 2004, Dustin Byfuglien an eight-rounder in 2003, James Wisniewski a fifth-rounder in 2002 and Adam Burish a ninth-rounder that same summer.

“I’m just here to work every game and play like it’s my last,” Shaw said. “Coming into the NHL you don’t expect to get 4 goals in seven games so it’s kind of a bonus. It’s given me a lot satisfaction and a lot of confidence.”

Ÿ Follow Tim’s Hawks reports via Twitter @TimSassone, and check out his Between the Circles blog at dailyherald.com.