I’ll have something longer on Shanahan this week, but for now I just wanted to point out an article on NHL.com about Shanny when he was in St. Louis.  I think it really just captures what kind of player Shanny was, and why cities like St. Louis and Detroit fell in love with his style and work ethic.

Kelly Chase, as told to John McGourty, NHL.com:

“The Blues were playing the Winnipeg Jets at the old Arena and Keith Tkachuk comes by and high-sticks Brendan. You know that nasty scar he’s got from his lip up into his nostril? That’s from Tkachuk’s high stick. I came in to see Brendan at the intermission. He’s lying on the trainer’s table, his lip’s peeled back, all the way to the gums. Brendan asks me how bad is it?

“I tell him, ‘Well, Brendan, look at this way: It looks like more chicks for the Chaser,’ and he starts swearing at me. Well, he came out, lip stitched, in the third period of a 0-0 game and got two goals. After that, he went after Tkachuk, hit him a few times and Tkachuk went down. Brendan got an instigator penalty and Tkachuk scored on the power play. We won, 2-1.

“Charlie Spoonhauer comes into our room and says, “Damn, junior, that was a hell of a game. I like that tough SOB Shanahan.’ Brendan comes in and he’s icing his lip with a beer can and I introduce them. Charlie asks Brendan, if he’s not busy the next day, to come talk to his forwards ‘because they’re weaker than decaf.’

“Meanwhile, Brendan’s bleeding everywhere and talking to Charlie. That’s why the people in St. Louis still talk about that game all the time.”

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