MASON SHAW IS GEARING UP FOR HIS RETURN
Sep 17, 2026"My journey hasn't exactly been linear," said Shaw.
Mason Shaw's professional debut came with the Iowa Wild on Apr. 10, 2018, against the Rockford IceHogs. Just over eight years later, he returns to the Minnesota Wild organization as a much different person and player than when he broke into the AHL.
"I just remember being a fresh 19-year-old kid, not knowing much about living on my own or living in a different country," said Shaw. "There's been some setbacks and then some tough injuries that really made me dig in and battle adversity."
Shaw kicked off his professional career as a member of two of the most successful teams in Iowa Wild history. The young forward was surrounded by experienced, skilled players who showed him the ropes.
"My roommate in my first year was Carson Soucy, who's from my hometown," said Shaw. "Those teams were very competitive. When you're 19 or 20 years old, you pay attention to all the older guys and learn things from them."
One of the things Shaw learned quickly about succeeding at the professional level was the need to adapt his game.
"As a pro, you aren't playing half the game and skating on the power play for the whole two minutes," said Shaw. " I've been able to have success at the American League level by helping produce, learning how to kill penalties, being a good two-way player."
Despite being a smaller player, Shaw has never shied away from the physical side of the game.
"Everybody wants to be a professional hockey player when you grow up, but you physically have to be there and mentally want to be there," said Shaw. "I flourished in gritty, intense games. Sometimes, it could be easier to go around a guy, but you've got to go through a guy. I think that that's something I just always relish."
Shaw's approach endeared him to fans, teammates, and coaches, but also exposed him to injury potential. He suffered four ACL tears during his first tenure with Minnesota and Iowa, but says he gained perspective as he battled back from each one.
"People face adversities one way or the other, whether it's injuries or in life matters," said Shaw. "I think building calluses over your career definitely helps you, especially when things aren't going your way. In a sense, I think I'm also a bit of an outlier with how many times that I've had to go through these cycles of some knee injuries."
While each injury came with different challenges, Shaw was able to lean on previous experience with rehabilitation to believe in his ability to return to play,
"You look yourself in the mirror and dig in and realize that this is something you can get through," said Shaw. "There were certainly points in my career where people would have understood if I wanted to hang up my skates."
Shaw says he always maintained an inner belief that he could not only play but reach the highest level, a feeling that fuels him every day.
"I'm in a position where I'm feeling as healthy as I have in a long time," said Shaw. "I'm really excited to see what I can do with that, just based off how I feel."
Entering the offseason, Shaw wanted an opportunity to show what he is still capable of and hoped a return to the Minnesota Wild organization would be possible.
"When your contract expires and you're trying to make a decision on where you're going, you hope for something like that but can't be sure until it's done," said Shaw. "For me, the opportunity to come back was a no-brainer, so I was very excited to be able to get it all figured out."
Throughout every stage of his career, Shaw has been a leader. He served as an alternate captain for Iowa during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons before being named captain for a 2022-23 season in which most of his time was spent in the NHL.
"I think it's kind of always been a natural progression," said Shaw. "More than anything, I've always embraced the day-to-day grind. My style with leadership is just leading by example. I'm not afraid to pick up when I have to."
The transition back to the organization has been a natural one, with Shaw jumping right back into a sea of new and familiar faces.
"I'm excited to reconnect with everyone," said Shaw. "It's been fun to meet new players and also see guys that I haven't seen for a few years. I'm super grateful to be back with the organization that gave me a shot of pro hockey. I'll do my best to put my best foot forward and try to reward these guys that gave me a chance again."
Iowa opens training camp on Sept. 21 in Minnesota, and there is a chance that Shaw will join the team ahead of or during the 2026-27 campaign.
"I have great memories of making the playoffs and having good crowds," said Shaw. "The way of life in Des Moines is relative to the style that I like. It's a community that's backed by agriculture, which relates to my background of where I came from. I feel like I can relate to a lot of people in the state, and I've made friends away from the rink that I'm excited to connect with again as well."