My NHL idol: Blackhawks' Shaw on Wendel Clark
During the NHL playoffs, we're asking some Blackhawks to tell us which player they grew up idolizing. We'll share their story on each game day.
Andrew Shaw's favorite player to watch growing up was Wendel Clark, who played 608 of his 793 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Clark's career spanned from 1985-2000 and included a 13-game stint with the Blackhawks in his final campaign.
"He was always just that hardworking, blue-collar kind of guy," Shaw said. "He just left everything out there."
Clark scored 330 goals in the NHL, but he never reached a Stanley Cup Final. The closest he came was in 1993 when Wayne Gretzky's L.A. Kings ousted the Maple Leafs in seven games in the conference final.
Shaw has never met Clark, but does have a signed jersey.
"My girlfriend knew he was my favorite player," Shaw said. "It was kind of a little Christmas present."