But on Monday, he sort of expected to go. As a restricted free agent-to-be and playing for a team out of the playoff race, Shore knows the business, so he thought there was a good chance he'd wake up a Duck and end the day in another organization.
"I had a little bit of a feeling," he said after being swapped in a one-for-one deal with Sonny Milano. "I kind of had an idea something very well could happen. When I got traded from Dallas, it was out of left field and that blindsided me, but this time I was a little bit more prepared and had more of an idea.
"You never know and you prepare for anything and embrace whatever happens."
It just so happens he's a Blue Jacket now, with Columbus seeing his responsible two-way play and energetic style a perfect fit for a team battling its behind off to stay in the playoff race while dealing with a nearly unprecedented rash of injuries.
"I've heard when you're talking to people whether it's your agent or other people around the league, they've been hit by the injury bug really hard but they've still found ways to be right in the thick of it and that speaks a lot about the depth of the organization and the character of the guys in the room," Shore said. "It's an exciting thing to be a part of and I'm looking forward to joining along and trying to help out."
While Columbus needed some depth to help the playoff push, Shore should fit right into the mix given his mold as a player. He's a ball of energy, capable of playing both center and wing while chipping in a little offense as well as being responsible on the defensive side.
The 25-year-old's best season to this point was 2016-17 when he finished with 13 goals and 33 points, while this year he has four goals and six assists in 39 games. For his NHL career, Shore has tallied 38 goals and 66 assists for 104 points in 282 career games.
"He's a hardworking player," Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said. "He's versatile. He can play left wing and center and has had some success in the offensive end -- maybe not this year with Anaheim, but he's not old yet. … We've had an eye on him for quite a while now and tried to make a deal earlier for him and it worked out like this today and we're excited to have him."
Shore said he knows a number of players on the team, including Josh Anderson, as the two Ontario natives have worked out over the past few summers. He's also familiar with the rest of the Ontario natives on the team like Scott Harrington, Boone Jenner and Nick Foligno.
The captain said he's excited to add a player of Shore's skills to the mix.
"I think he's just a really good depth player in the sense that he can play all positions," Foligno said. "Playing against him, he has some skill, he has some grit, some size. He plays an all-around game, which is exactly what fits in the mold here. I'm looking forward to getting him in here."
Shore met the team at its St. Paul, Minnesota, hotel when it arrived Monday night and should go into the lineup Tuesday as the first Blue Jacket to ever wear the jersey No. 74. He said he's excited to play under a coach with the passion of John Tortorella and expects his compete level will fit in with the team from the get-go.
He also hopes to add a little bit of production as well, but his main goal is just to play his game and see what happens.
"I try not to get hung up too much on individual production," he said. "Obviously it's great and that in many ways helps your team and hopefully we can get back to that, but you try to play the game the right way regardless of what you're asked to do. In certain situations you might have to do a different job (like in Anaheim) and that might not necessarily lead to more offensive production.
"You try to play the same way and bring the same product and stick to what makes you successful and if you do that, the numbers will take care of themselves. I just try to go in there with confidence and belief in your abilities and work hard out there."
