Thank You, Andrew Shaw

If there is anything a sports fan will have a hard time explaining to someone who doesn't watch sports, it's all of the emotions that come along with being a fan. We could explain sports terminology to a monkey if we tried hard enough, but can't explain how we get so emotionally invested to save our lives.

For me, sports is an escape. When life gets stressful, turning on a hockey game can make you forget it all for a few hours. Will you stress out about the game? Probably, but it's sure as heck better than dwelling. They say you can't appreciate the good times without the bad, and that comes with sports too. You can't call yourself a fan if you plug your ears when things suck and magically reappear when there's a championship win.

For Chicago Blackhawks fans, this isn't the easiest time. After the playoffs were cut unexpectedly short, everything was pretty quiet until the trades began. It started off with the Bickell and Teravainen trade to Carolina

and although it was tough to see two great guys go, one thing couldn't help but run through the minds of every Blackhawks fan.

Does this mean Shaw gets to stay?

The most popular player to potentially get traded during this offseason was 24-year-old forward Andrew Shaw. Coach Quenneville even said himself that Shaw is "irreplaceable"

due to his unique style of play and charisma on and off the ice. Unfortuantely, being "irreplaceable" wasn't good enough, and Shaw was traded to Montreal on June 24 2016.

This is where all of the emotions come in. Shaw was someone everyone loved (partially due to his incredible sense of humor), and I personally (and on behalf of many Blackhawks fans) want to thank him for a number of things.

1. Thank you for reminding us that we all love shinpads.

2. Thank you for making hockey fights not only entertaining to watch, but hilarious to watch.

3. Thank you for the greatest goal that never was.

4. Thank you for never shutting up.

5. For real though, never shut up. You're hilarious.

"Travis Van Riemsdyk", one the team's top defensemen.

6. Thank you for being so kind to the fans.

"You could have said me, it wouldn't have hurt my feelings."

7. Thank you for always being yourself.

8. Thank you for always giving your all and never letting a few stitches get in the way.

9. Thank you for all of the laughs.

"I didn't lie on my birth certificate."

10. But most of all, thank you for all of the amazing things you have done during your time in Chicago, we will all miss you!

Once a Blackhawk, always a Blackhawk.