Mason Shaw is making his season debut tonight for the Minnesota Wild on the road against the St. Louis Blues.
The 25-year-old is playing his first NHL game since April 1, 2023, when he tore his ACL in Las Vegas against the Golden Knights for a fourth time in his young career — which ended his strong rookie campaign early. Shaw, who signed a one-year contract with the Wild on Feb. 15, has been practicing with the team and patiently waiting for his opportunity to get back into the lineup.
“It feels amazing,” Shaw told the media at practice after the signing. “This is where I wanted to be when I started this journey. It feels amazing to be back here, around these guys, and hanging out here. Just really glad to be back — feels like Christmas morning for me here.”
Well, that opportunity to get back into the lineup is tonight — 336 days since his last NHL game — in what is a key in-division clash with the Blues.
“Since the day that injury occurred last year, he's done everything and more to get back to this spot and he's earned that,” Iowa Wild general manager Mike Murray told The Hockey News after the signing. “None of that's been given to him. He was here all summer. He was here for a training camp.
“When he went down to Iowa, he continued. He didn't pout and say, 'Why aren't I doing this with the big club?' He went down to Iowa with the same attitude, worked hard (and) worked his way back being a practice player, worked his way back into being a game player and worked his way back into being an impact game player down there.
“So, now the next step is, 'Can he come back up here and do that?' We all hope so and when he gets the chance, I'm sure he'll tackle it like he does everything.”
That chance is now.
Shaw and the Wild hope he can get back to what he was: an important depth piece who made a name for himself as a gritty forechecker and effective penalty killer with an ability to contribute offensively. Shaw, who averaged 11:17 a game last season, scored seven goals and 17 points over 59 games with the Wild during his rookie campaign last year.
Shaw finished with the fourth-highest penalty kill usage among Wild forwards last season, too, with 83 minutes and 16 seconds of ice time in those 59 games, according to Natural Stat Trick. The Wild had recalled Shaw, Iowa's captain for the the 2022-23 season, in October of last year, and he ended up earning a permanent spot in St. Paul and played a crucial depth role last season.
Shaw signed a one-year, one-way contract with Iowa on Oct. 3 and played his first game on Oct. 20 since the torn ACL injury last April. “Anytime you have a Mason Shaw around your team,” Iowa coach Brett McLean told The Hockey News in November, “that’s a bonus for you. We’re lucky to have a high character person like that around us.”
After going scoreless in his first three AHL contests, Shaw scored four goals and seven points over his next six games. That included a three-assist night on Feb. 10, his last game with Iowa before the Wild signed him on Feb. 15.
“He's playing catch up, too,” Murray said of Shaw. “He missed half the season and guys are already into the sink of the season. So for him to be able to play catch up that quick and be able to become an impact player at the AHL that quickly is impressive.
“And, again, he's earned that recall and to be back here and to see what he can contribute to the big club now.”
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