Minnesota Wild’s Mason Shaw was born in small-town Wainwright, Alberta, Canada. It was here that Shaw discovered his two greatest passions; cattle ranching and hockey. Due to three previous anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, Shaw struggled to achieve his dream of playing in the NHL. Despite his setbacks, the skater persevered and proved he could be more than an AHL call-up. The 24-year-old had been well on his way to becoming a permanent fixture for the Minnesota Wild. In the 2022-23 season, the young skater played every game as if it were his last. Yet, on April 1st, 2023, a cruel twist of irony delivered Shaw another setback.
Minnesota Wild Forward Mason Shaw Set to Make Big Comeback
In an attempt to defend against the Vegas Golden Knights, Shaw’s skate caught a rut in the ice. The loss of control caused the winger to collide with the boards. The footage is brutal to watch. After seeing Shaw’s right knee bend awkwardly against the boards, Shaw crawled to the net beside teammate Marc-Andre Fleury. The winger stared out into the ice briefly, gnawing on his mouthguard, before bowing his head in defeat.
“It felt like everything in my knee exploded,” Shaw said. A familiar feeling, Shaw knew exactly what was wrong. A medical staff member and teammate, Brandon Duhaime, helped Shaw make his way to the bench. The winger failed to put any weight on his right leg and required assistance down the tunnel.
Shaken by the loss of Shaw, the Wild’s efforts to score again were fruitless. Minnesota lost to the Knights 4-1. Days later, the franchise confirmed that Shaw suffered a torn ACL and would be out for the remainder of the season.
Mason Shaw’s Impact on the Wild
At the beginning of the season, Shaw wasn’t sure if his spot in Minnesota was secure. The forward had spent roughly the first month of the season as a call-up from the Iowa Wild. Shaw spent every day of that month never knowing when his time in Minnesota would be up. He worked hard, hoping to earn his spot on the team. On November 11th, after winning a game against the Seattle Kraken, General Manager Bill Guerin called the Canadian into his office. Shaw worried Guerin would be telling him to return to Iowa. That is exactly what Guerin did.
“We’re sending you to Iowa…” Guerin said. Shaw was devasted. He believed he had been playing well, but knew he needed to go where Guerin thought was best. Then, after a long pause, Guerin continued, “…to pack up your stuff and find a place in Minnesota.” From then on, Shaw continued to prove Guerin was right in keeping him. The small-town Canadian brought grit, speed and big-time energy to the Wild’s first line and the first penalty kill unit.
Epitome of A Hockey Player
After overcoming three previous ACL tears, it seemed cruel that a fourth could end the rookie’s career. But, Shaw says his stubbornness will not allow him to give up. Despite knowing firsthand how difficult it is to overcome a torn ACL, the Canadian is determined to return; “[I’m] very proud of myself to get to this point, [I] had to go through a lot to get here, and [I’m] gonna have to go through some more to stay here.” Shaw continued, “I have no doubt in my mind that I’m gonna get back.”
Head Coach Dean Evason seems to agree, saying that “Mason Shaw epitomizes what it means to be a hockey player.” Evason continued, “He will do anything and everything to play in the NHL, and we have no doubt that he will come back stronger than ever.”
Evason was not the only one recognizing the sacrifices Shaw had and continues to make. Shortly after his injury, Shaw was named the Twin Cities chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy. The award is annually given to an NHL player who best demonstrates perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.
When Mason Shaw Will Return
As of now, Shaw is an unrestricted free agent. During this offseason, the Wild did not present Shaw with a qualifying offer. This is likely due to the cap issues the team is dealing with. It is likely Shaw will spend the beginning of the reason rehabbing with Minnesota’s staff and in their training facilities. When Shaw is ready, they could sign Shaw to an AHL deal, have him play a few games in Iowa to get his game back, and then call up the forward for his homecoming. But, how long could this take?
Doctors estimate it takes a minimum of 6-7 months before a player can return on-ice at total capacity. However, Shaw’s third ACL tear took longer to recover from. This is likely due to the fact that returning too soon from this injury can increase the chances of reaggravation. As this is Shaw’s fourth ACL, it would make sense for the skater to take more time to recover in order to prevent a fifth tear. Since Shaw hopes to play in the NHL for as long as he can, his goal is to fully recover after 8 months of rehabbing his injury. This would put Shaw back in the line-up in December 2023.
