Rehabilitating a torn ACL is a massive undertaking for anyone as it is both physically and mentally draining in a way that is unique to the injury. That makes Mason Shaw one of the toughest people in the NHL as he is currently rehabilitating his fourth torn ACL. With both knees having torn twice, he is fully expecting to contribute to the Minnesota Wild in a meaningful way once he is back this season. Let’s look at what Shaw brought that solidified his spot last season, what his path back to the NHL looks like, and what he could bring if he pulls it off.
Shaw’s Rocky Path to the NHL
The 24-year-old from Wainwright, Alberta, has had the toughest path to the NHL that you could possibly have. After breaking into the NHL last season, the 2017 fourth-rounder’s journey was well documented and for good reason, having battled back from three torn ACLs to force himself onto the roster. Shaw spent four productive seasons with the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League (AHL) before finally being healthy enough to make the jump into the NHL where he was a key depth piece for most of the season.
Shaw got an early look in 2022-23 when he slid onto the fourth line in the third game of the season with some injuries causing the Wild to have a rough start to the season. Despite the loss, Shaw’s play was strong enough to warrant another look just four games later as Tyson Jost was out with an injury.
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That game signaled the start of his full-time NHL career as a mainstay on the Wild’s bottom line and penalty kill as he would end up with 17 points and 79 penalty minutes, as well as a two-game suspension, in 59 games played. His season ended in nightmarish fashion when he collided with the boards just a few minutes into their April 1 game against the Vegas Golden Knights and tore his ACL for a fourth time.
Unwavering Determination Set a Path to Return
Most players that suffer another injury of that magnitude at such a critical point in their career may have been swayed to think that they may not be in a position to play hockey at the NHL level; however, Shaw’s goal has not been altered. Fully knowing that the expectations were low for him to be able to return to the Wild at full capacity, the “Alberta Shaman” started his long trek as soon as he could, earning him the honor of being the Wild’s 2023 nominee for the Bill Masterton Trophy.
As the offseason has gone on, there has been very little news about Shaw’s health and projected status for the upcoming season, but on a recent edition of the “Wild on 7th” podcast, Shaw surprised everyone by stating:
“I’m trying to get back to playing hockey by the end of November, start of December, that’s my goal and I feel like I’m stubborn enough and focused enough to get that done.”
Ep. #38 Wild on 7th: Mason Shaw Smells Like Fire and Puts Bass in the Smoker – Aug. 16, 2023
Not only is he well on his way down the road to recovery, he is expecting to be back playing hockey in less than four months. Shaw continues to explain he has stayed in St. Paul with teammates like Connor Dewar, Calen Addison, and Marco Rossi over the summer to continue working with the Wild’s training staff while keeping his spirits up at the same time.
Shaw’s Place on the Roster
An important piece to remember in all of this is that even if Shaw meets his goal of being back playing hockey in a few months, he doesn’t actually have a contract right now as he was a restricted free agent (RFA) and the Wild did not tender him a qualifying offer, essentially making him an unrestricted free agent. Michael Russo of The Athletic recently noted:
“The Wild went to (Mason Shaw) and offered him an expensive AHL deal and his agency first wanted to go into free agency and look around to see if they could get him an NHL deal, but (the Wild) didn’t want to give him an NHL deal right off the hop because they would have to go into LTIR and it would create a problem when he wanted to play.”
Michael Russo
Thankfully no other team was willing to take the risk on the injured player, and instead, he will likely have to accept the AHL offer when he is ready and play a conditioning stint to show he is back to full strength. Once he has proven that he is ready, the Wild should have just barely enough cap space to offer him a league-minimum deal, and he would have to clear waivers in order to come back up where he belongs in the NHL.
A returned, healthy Shaw would bring a solid presence to the Wild’s bottom line to join the likes of Dewar and Pat Maroon as one of their more effective defensive forwards. Shaw is a fearless, gritty player that leans heavy on the body and is more than happy to throw himself in front of pucks, making him a fantastic penalty killer. He plays with his heart and soul and brings an energy to the locker room that could be sorely needed this season with Matt Dumba and Ryan Reaves moving on.
Long, Bumpy Road Still Ahead
As great as it is to hear that Shaw fully plans on returning to the NHL full-time, there is still a very long road to recovery and a lot has to go right between now and then for him to be able to achieve the level of fitness required to function effectively at that level. With both knees compromised by multiple ACL tears, there is always the chance he is unable to regain the mobility and strength needed to maneuver on skates as well as he could before.
He is the ideal model of never giving up on your dreams and it is impossible not to root for him, especially when he can add such value to the bottom of the Wild’s roster. Here’s to hoping we see No. 15 back on the roster this season.
