NHL suspends Canadiens' Andrew Shaw for 3 pre-season games

Montreal Canadiens forward Andrew Shaw will miss the team's next three pre-season games after the NHL suspended him Thursday for hitting Washington defence prospect Connor Hobbs face-first into the end boards in Tuesday's contest.

Shaw was assessed 20 penalty minutes and a game misconduct following the incident that occurred at 17:50 of the second period in Montreal.

The Washington bench was visibly irate as Shaw skated past Capitals players to the dressing room.

Hobbs was treated and remained in the game, which contributed to the NHL's decision, which you can hear by clicking below.

In last spring's Stanley Cup playoffs, Shaw was suspended one game and fined $5,000 US "for making use of a homophobic slur" directed at on-ice officials. He was also required to have sensitivity training.

Challenged by the salary cap, Chicago was unable to re-sign Shaw, a restricted free agent, prompting the deal with Montreal.

Three days after the trade, Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin signed the native of Belleville, Ont., to a six-year contract worth $23.4 million US that does not include a no-trade or no-move clause.

At the time, Bergevin told NHL.com he wanted players "who don't like to lose" and when they do it hurts and "it gets them inside. … It's the Chicago culture, that's what we want."

What Bergevin and the Canadiens don't want, however, is Shaw missing games to suspension.

A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Blackhawks, Shaw is expected to bring some physicality to a Montreal squad that has been one of the smallest in the NHL in recent years.

Last season, he posted 14 goals and 34 points in 78 games along with 69 penalty minutes and a plus-11 rating.

Shaw's style of play has been compared to new teammate and superpest Brendan Gallagher.

"I'm going to go out there and work hard and compete and get in people's faces as well," he told the Gazette in Montreal in August. "If [fans] like that style of game, I think I'll fit in quite well."