Wild lose Mason Shaw for season because of torn ACL

Mason Shaw's storybook season has abruptly ended.

The winger suffered a torn ACL in his right knee on Saturday in the Wild's 4-1 loss at Vegas and will be sidelined for the rest of the season.

"Everybody knows what he's gone through to get here and get to where he's at," coach Dean Evason said. "He'll be back. There's no question."

Shaw was helped off the ice less than five minutes into Saturday's game after he crashed awkwardly into the boards by the Wild's net.

This is the fourth ACL tear he's dealt with in his career, with the 24-year-old overcoming the injury once in juniors and then twice after the Wild selected him with a fourth-round pick in 2017.

"He's been through it and come through fine and been better for it," said Connor Dewar, who lives with Shaw and described the past 24 hours around the house as somber. "It's a challenge, but with challenges we become better, smarter, stronger."

Only a few months after getting drafted, Shaw was hurt during a prospect game when a defender came for a hit in the corner. In 2019, a player fell on his left knee during the playoffs with Iowa in the American Hockey League.

He recovered each time and went on to play parts of five seasons in the minors before making his NHL debut in 2021. At training camp last fall, Shaw was among the final cuts, but he parlayed an early-season call-up into a permanent gig.

"He did everything and anything to play in the National Hockey League," Evason said, "and he will again."

In 59 games this season, Shaw compiled seven goals and 10 assists, including his first NHL goal Oct. 30 at Chicago.

A mainstay alongside Dewar and Ryan Reaves over the past month-plus, Shaw was a reliable penalty killer and that line helped buoy the offense while Kirill Kaprizov has been out with injury.

"It's been a dream come true to play with one of your best friends and contribute in the NHL and have an impact every night," Dewar said. "It's been a lot of fun. He's going to be sorely missed."

After previously skating on his own, Kaprizov skated with the Wild's skating and skills coach Andy Ness on Monday.

Kaprizov hasn't played since March 8 at Winnipeg when the Wild's leading scorer left the game because of a lower-body injury that was expected to sideline him for three to four weeks. Evason said the team will evaluate and decide when he'll resume practicing with the group.

"I'm hoping he's ready to play sooner than later," Evason said. "I know he hopes that he's ready to play sooner than later. Obviously, we want him back in our lineup. But we're going to do the right things and our doctors and trainers and he will do the right things as well."

With Shaw out, the Wild added Sam Steel back into their lineup for the rematch against Vegas.

Steel joined Ryan Hartman and Mats Zuccarello, with Marcus Foligno slotting alongside Frederick Gaudreau and Oskar Sundqvist. Brandon Duhaime moved next to Dewar and Reaves.

The Wild also made one switch on defense: Jon Merrill subbed in for Alex Goligoski, who was scratched for the first time since Feb. 13.