After a long road back, Mason Shaw is in Minnesota and ready to return the favor to the Wild organization that has done him so well this past year.

ST. PAUL - It's been a long road for Mason Shaw who recently recovered from an ACL surgery that happened just over ten months ago. He sat in his stall yesterday at TRIA Rink in St. Paul relived that he made it back to the NHL after what was his fourth knee surgery in his career. 

“I didn’t really know what to expect, to be honest,” Shaw said on getting back to playing hockey again. “I didn’t know how the knee would respond to games or how my game would go. Nothing was guaranteed here, I had to go and earn my chance to get back here. Obviously, everyone in the organization kept their word to me and gave me a chance. Now it’s my turn to do my part and get back on the ice here.”

After Shaw tore his ACL in April of last season, the Wild signed him to an AHL deal and let him rehab in Minnesota. They invited him to their team bonding trip before the season started and let him participate in many Wild events before the season. 

The Wild organization was very nice to Shaw and rewarded him with an AHL deal. He played nine games in Iowa and scored four goals with seven points. Two days ago, the club announced they burned his AHL deal and signed him to an NHL deal for the remainder of the season.

“I know the style of play that I need to play to stay in this league,” Shaw said. “I know what my role is in this league. So that was one thing... getting physical and getting back to that. I’ve absolutely got all the confidence in the world that I’ll be able to do that at this level. Obviously, I’m not near the size of Marcus Foligno or Pat Maroon but there are some guys missing from the lineup right now that play that kind of role. So that’s kind of my job when called upon.”

Shaw, 25, did a great job of playing that role last season and solidified himself as a gritty bottom-six forward who was exceptional on the penalty kill. 

With both Foligno and Maroon out of the lineup for what could be a couple of weeks, it seems like Shaw will be given the chance to get back to the game he played a season ago. 

But for now, it will have to wait. Wild head coach John Hynes noted some guys on this team have to be better but the fourth line has been great and Hynes doesn't want to shake that up yet. 

“Right now, I think that it’ll be day by day,” said Hynes on Shaw's return to the lineup. "There's a couple of forwards that need to be better. I've really liked [Connor] Dewar, [Jacob] Lucchini and [Vinni] Lettieri; that line's been really good. There's more and more competition now. Guys have stepped up their game, whether it’s on the back end or whether it’s up front."

Hynes did indicate that having 13 forwards here isn't a big problem and actually gives him the flexibility to mix and match with who's in or out of the lineup. He will reassess his options after the Wild play the Sabres tonight. 

Plus Shaw understands the fourth line has been playing well right now so it might be hard to get in quickly but his time will come and when it does he will be ready. 

"At the end of the day it's about winning hockey games," Shaw said on if it is hard to not be in the lineup." In general, right now the lineup is going really well so I don't think it's going to be too hard at all. Obviously, I'm eager to get out there but when my opportunity comes knocking on the door, I'll be ready."

Shaw was such a big part of the penalty kill last season but even that has been on a roll recently as well. Since January 19th the penalty kill has gone 29-for-32. Their 90.6 percent PK ranks third in the NHL in that span. 

His time will come but for now, Shaw will have to be patient. Though the journey and moment feels surreal, this is where Shaw wants to be and where he deserves to be based on his season last year. But now it is time to show the organization he can get back to that level of play, regardless of how hard it might be. 

"It feels amazing, this is where I wanted to be when I started this journey," Shaw said on being back in the NHL. "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."

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