Minnesota Wild forward Mason Shaw scores his first goal since returning to the lineup after recovering from his fourth ACL tear.

On April 2nd, exactly 12 months after leaving the ice in Vegas injured, Shaw celebrated the anniversary by scoring a goal in the Wild’s crucial 3-2 win over the Ottowa Senators. The Minnesota Wild forward showed off the resilience that earned him a contract with the Wild after over two-hundred games in the AHL and four ACL injuries.

In 2022-2023, Shaw began regular season play with the Iowa Wild before being recalled from its NHL affiliate, The Minnesota Wild, on October 21st. Shortly after making his debut, Shaw received praise from former Minnesota Wild head coach, Dean Evason, for his ability to “get his nose dirty every shift.” After taking on a more permanent position with the Wild, Shaw played fifty-nine games while putting forward seventeen points (seven goals, ten assists) and maintaining an average time on ice of approximately eleven minutes.

In a late-season game against the Vegas Golden Knights in April of last year, Shaw suffered a tear to his anterior cruciate ligament after taking an awkward dive into the boards. He did not return to the game, and it was officially reported on April 3rd that he suffered from an ACL Tear for the fourth time in his career. He began the familiar rehab process after the operation on his right knee. 

Over ten months later, Mason Shaw returned to the Iowa Wild to play a nine-game stint. After getting off to a slow start in his first three games back, Shaw scored three goals in the following two games and ended his short stay with Iowa with four goals and three assists. Following his return to practice for the Minnesota Wild, Shaw expressed his gratitude for the opportunity and recognized the effort needed to find his way back onto the ice. His first game back in a Wild jersey took place on the March 2nd matchup against the St. Louis Blues, Shaw contributed seven minutes of ice time and a -1 rating in the team’s 1-3 loss on the road. He finished the regular season with three points (one goal, two assists) in twenty games.

There is no denying that returning to the NHL after recovering from not one, but four ACL tears is inspiring not only to the average hockey player but also to many athletes who have suffered the same injury. When talking to Sartell senior gymnast Kylie Weber, she described what it felt like to tear her ACL and how seeing Mason Shaw’s recovery process inspired her to get back to participating in the sports she loves.

How did tearing your ACL make you feel while still being in season?

• “It made me feel sad but my teammates helped me through the beginning.”

What was the recovery process like for you?

• “The recovery was very hard mentally and physically but once you get to about 5 months you feel fully recovered but you’re still not allowed to play sports so it feels discouraging.”

How does seeing someone else recover from the same injury inspire you to get back to doing the things you love?

• “For me, I watched Norah Mentzer recover which made me think I could get through it.”

What advice would you give to anyone who is recovering from an ACL injury?

• “I would tell others to keep working because it is all worth it in the end.”