Chicago Blackhawks: Andrew Shaw Earned Every Penny of His $4 Million Extension

Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw will be with the team through the 2015-16 season. The Blackhawks announced a two-year, $4 million contract extension on the team website Tuesday morning.

When I heard what Shaw's price tag for the following two seasons will be, I must say I was a little surprised. However, there is no doubt that Shaw has earned every cent of that raise.

When the deal was announced Tuesday, I privately speculated that Shaw would be commanding a salary in the $1-1.5 million range. The fact that his pay rate will be nearly four times his present salary of $577,000 was a bit of a shock.

Then again, shock and surprise are par for the course with the scrappy Chicago center.

Shaw has been stunning the hockey community since the NHL passed him over in two straight drafts. When Shaw came to camp in 2011 after the 'Hawks drafted him in the fifth round that summer, the kid got folks talking when he challenged Daniel Carcillo to throw down the gloves.

Down in Rockford, Shaw took some time to make his presence felt. Try three months.

Watching him with the IceHogs, my thoughts on Shaw were that he could be a great energy guy as long as Chicago didn't expect him to score as he did in a red-hot December of 2011, when he potted eight goals for Rockford.

Shaw was then recalled by the 'Hawks, scored in his debut in Philadelphia on Jan. 5, 2012 and logged five goals in his first eight NHL games. He finished 2011-12 with 12 goals and 11 assists.

Shaw isn't going to pile up the pretty goals like a Patrick Kane or send missiles to the back of the net like Patrick Sharp. Shaw scores as a result of relentless pursuit of the puck and a willingness to crash the net.

Shaw is centering the third line for Chicago to the tune of four goals and seven helpers through 18 games this season. He has points in five of his last six games dating back to the Blackhawks' win over Ottawa Oct. 29. Shaw's second goal that evening proved to be the game-winner for Chicago.

Maybe $2 million a season for Shaw's services seems pricey to some. It is more than Marcus Kruger received this summer when he was extended. However, it is less than the $2.7 million Nick Leddy got. Considering the impact Shaw makes on the ice, I would say that he is slotted correctly in terms of salary.

General manager Stan Bowman smartly staggered Shaw's deal one year past the end of the Kruger and Leddy extensions. Bowman is locking up pieces of what should be a perennial Stanley Cup contender and is doing so in a way that should allow for bigger extensions down the road.

The numbers for Kane and Jonathan Toews are going to dwarf Shaw's windfall. However, Bowman is setting the organization up nicely to be able to retain his two young stars.

In doing so, we have two more seasons for Shaw to continue to pull off a few more surprises.