The Minnesota Wild have ripped up Mason Shaw’s AHL deal and signed the forward to a two-way NHL contract through the rest of the 2023-24 season, general manager Bill Guerin announced Thursday. Shaw’s NHL salary will be a prorated league-minimum $775,000 while his rate in the AHL will be $400,000. He will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Shaw will practice with the Wild on Friday at TRIA Rink.

Before signing Shaw to an AHL contract earlier this season, the Wild allowed the 25-year-old to skate and work out at their facilities and even took him to Duluth on their training camp bonding trip. He was recovering from his fourth torn ACL, suffered last April 1 at Vegas.

Late last month, Shaw discussed his latest surgery and comeback with The Athletic, saying getting back to Minnesota was “probably the biggest motivator through all of it. It’s just getting back to where you can hear the ovation from the arena. My priority right now is helping whatever team I’m with win hockey games. If it’s in Iowa, fantastic. If it’s in Minnesota, fantastic. It’s a lot of motivation, a lot of good people around me supporting me. I just appreciate everyone that’s helped me through this.”

Shaw, who has four goals and seven points in nine games with AHL Iowa, said he never had any doubts that he could return. His biggest question was, as an unrestricted free agent, would there be a place for him if he did?

“You worry in the hockey world if people are almost going to lose their trust in you,” Shaw said. “If you’re going to be able to withstand what it takes to be a hockey player. And that was probably on my mind more than anything. I wasn’t worried if I could get through it because I knew I had the self-belief and self-drive to get through it. I guess I was more worried about where I would fit in the hockey world after this. Fortunately, 9 ½ months later, I’m a hockey player again.”

Shaw, a 2017 fourth-round pick, had seven goals and 17 points in 59 games for the Wild last season.

Wild prospect Adam Beckman was reassigned Thursday to make room for Shaw. Beckman told The Athletic earlier this week of Shaw’s return: “It’s unbelievable. I think that just you learn so much from the way he approached it, so positive and just eager to get back. Obviously when you come back from that, you’re kind of trying to find your time and stuff like that, but as of late, he’s been taking it in full stride and he looks really good. It’s remarkable.”

How will Shaw help and what does it mean? 

Shaw is a heart-and-soul energy bug, a solid-skating checker who can play center or wing. He’s also one of the organization’s top penalty killers, an area that has been a disappointment for much of this season (29th in the NHL, 74.7 percent) despite performing well of late.

Shaw’s arrival gives the Wild more depth up front as they continue their quest to make the playoffs. They have won four consecutive games and seven of nine to move within three points of a playoff spot heading into Thursday’s action. The Wild are currently without injured Marcus Foligno, and veteran Pat Maroon recently underwent back surgery and isn’t expected back until mid-March at the earliest.

Shaw’s return to Minnesota could ultimately lead to Jake Lucchini being sent to the minors. What’s interesting is the Wild may sign prospect Marat Khusnutdinov once his KHL season ends later this month, so the Wild could soon have too many players considering they are currently carrying eight defensemen after last month’s pickup of Declan Chisholm off waivers from Winnipeg. Teams can carry more than the maximum 23 players after the March 8 trade deadline, though, as long as they’re cap compliant. That shouldn’t be as issue for the Wild with Jared Spurgeon currently on long-term injured reserve after season-ending hip and back injuries.

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(Photo: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)