Mason Shaw Undergoes Knee Surgery

After already missing nearly the entire 2017-18 season, Mason Shaw has more rehab to do. The Minnesota Wild announced that Shaw underwent a successful ACL revision procedure on his left knee yesterday and will miss the rest of the AHL playoffs. The Iowa Wild are in a second round series against the Chicago Wolves, with game four set for tomorrow evening.

This is not the first time Shaw has gone under the knife to repair an ACL injury. As Micheal Russo of The Athletic points out, the young forward tore the ligament in his right knee last year and this left one the year before that. Even getting back to full health in time for the 2018-19 season was a battle, but one that Shaw won. The 20-year old ended up playing in all 76 contests for Iowa this season, recorded 33 points in his first year of professional hockey. That was a great season for a player who was so far removed from playing at a high level, and one that should have fans of the Wild organization excited about him.

It’s not clear how long Shaw will be out this time, but Russo tweets that recovery timelines for these injuries usually sit around six months. That would put the beginning of Shaw’s 2019-20 season at risk, and remove any possibility of him making a case for an NHL spot at training camp.

One player that Shaw may be able to look at for inspiration is St. Louis Blues forward Robby Fabbri, who tore the ACL in his left knee twice and also missed the entire 2017-18 season. Fabbri is back playing with the St. Louis Blues in these playoffs, suiting up eight times through the first two rounds. The 23-year old is certainly not back to where he was before the injuries, but just getting back into NHL action was a long time coming.

Shaw was originally selected in the fourth round by the Wild in 2017, after having a huge season for the Medicine Hat Tigers. His potential was clear when he scored 94 points in 71 games that year, and will hopefully be able to show itself again after this most recent injury. He is under contract for two more seasons before being scheduled for restricted free agency in 2021.