The Minnesota Wild have decided that Mason Shaw has done enough to deserve a professional contract, signing the diminutive forward to a three-year entry-level contract. Shaw played one game earlier this month with the Iowa Wild on an amateur tryout, but missed the rest of the season with a torn ACL suffered in development camp.
Shaw was selected in the fourth round last year after an impressive 94-point campaign for the Medicine Hat Tigers, but still has a long way to go before making the NHL. Though the Wild now list him at 5’9″ 179-lbs, he’ll have to prove that his small stature won’t stand in his way at the professional level.
Michael Russo of The Athletic believes that even though he could play in the AHL next season, he’ll likely head back to the WHL to finish his junior career. After missing a full season, that would put less pressure on him to perform right away and instead allow him to move through the system slowly. The talented offensive forward could be one of the WHL’s top scorers next season should he return at full health.