Is Jesper Wallstedt’s early season success sustainable?
Minnesota is known for being home to people of Scandinavian descent (hence, the Minnesota Vikings), so it’s only fitting that a pair of Swedes are protecting the goal so well for the Minnesota Wild. Goaltenders Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt have formed a strong tandem for the Wild this season, propelling them to the third-best point total in the Western Conference. Gustavsson has been solid, with a 7-7-3 record in 17 starts, to go along with a .906 save percentage and a 2.74 goals-against average.
Wallstedt, though, has been the real story. In 10 starts, the 2021 first-round pick has an 8-0-2 record, and he leads the NHL with a .944 SV%, a 1.74 GAA, and four shutouts. Wallstedt is coming off a 33-save shutout against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. If he continues to perform this well, the Wild will have no choice but to give him the majority of the starts the rest of the way.
On Wednesday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Tyler Yaremchuk and former NHL goaltender Carter Hutton discussed Wallstedt’s incredible play so far this season.
Tyler Yaremchuk: How about the continued run of the man they are calling The Wall of Saint Paul? Jesper Wallstedt, Hutts, an unbelievable performance last night against the Edmonton Oilers, as he turns aside all 33 shots that he faces. For the fourth time in just six games, this guy’s got a shutout. A 23-year old, who right now is playing like the best goalie in the world.
Carter Hutton: Yeah, it’s unbelievable. This is a guy who has given his team confidence in the way he plays. Watching the way he plays and the way he manages the crease, he’s very calm and composed and doesn’t move a lot for a big guy. It’s unbelievable, four shutouts in his last ten games is insane. If you look at Minnesota, the run that they’re on, they’re 12-1-2 since the start of November, which is absolutely insane. This was a team on the outside looking in. We were worries about where it was going to go. I had my doubts too, the way the preseason went and when I looked at his American League numbers. Coming to the NHL is a different animal. Man, he has been just the absolute biggest story in the NHL in my opinion between the pipes.