Minnesota Wild News

Gustavsson has been strong for Minnesota, starting two of three games to start the season, and will return to the crease on Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues. The 26-year-old Gustavsson has saved 64 of 68 shots (.941 SV%) through two games (1-0-1), an early indication that he may be returning to form after a forgettable 2023-24 campaign when he posted a 3.06 GAA and .899 SV% in 45 outings (20-18-4). Minnesota enters the action as slight -111 road favorites against St. Louis.

After missing 66 games in 2023-24 due to injury, Jared Spurgeon will unfortunately miss his second straight game of the 2024-25 campaign due to a lower-body injury suffered on Saturday. The 34-year-old was replaced by Declan Chisholm (illness) on Sunday.

Originally expected to return on Tuesday, Eriksson Ek will remain out of the lineup for at least one more game. Eriksson Ek did not travel with Minnesota for the start of their seven-game road trip after he took an elbow to the face from Adam Larsson in the second period and went to the locker room in Saturday's game. He missed the final 12:45 of the period before returning to the game in the third period with a full face shield. He only played one shift, though, and left the game again and did not return.

Boyd was recalled by Minnesota several days ago after Joel Eriksson Ek suffered a broken nose but has been reassigned to Iowa (AHL) with Eriksson Ek's impending return on Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues. The 31-year-old Boyd, a veteran of 296 NHL games, did not draw into the lineup for Minnesota and has two points (1G / 1A) in one game with Iowa (AHL) this season.

Gustavsson won his first start of the season vs. Columbus after stopping 31 of 33 shots against (.939 SV%) and will have a chance to go 2-0-0 on Sunday in Winnipeg. The 26-year-old is in his third season with the Wild and will be splitting time with both Marc-Andre Fleury and Jesper Wallstedt this season. He will head to Winnipeg to take on the undefeated Jets (2-0-0), who beat Chicago 2-1 on home ice on Friday.

Chisholm missed the Wilds' first two games to begin the season due to illness but will make his debut on Sunday in Winnipeg as he replaces the injured Jared Spurgeon (lower body). The 24-year-old defensemen appeared in 29 games in 2023-24 and had three goals, eight points and 18 PIMs while averaging only 16:52 TOI/GP.

With Joel Eriksson Ek (broken nose) not travelling on Sunday, Liam Ohgren will make his season debut vs. Winnipeg. The 20-year-old left-winger made his NHL debut last season but only appeared in four games, picking up a goal and an assist while averaging 14:31 TOI/GP.

Johansson has gotten off to a hot start in the first two games of the season with two points but will be a game-time decision on Sunday in Winnipeg. If the 34-year-old is unable to go, Travis Boyd is expected to step into the lineup.

After missing 66 games in 2023-24 due to injury, Jared Spurgeon will unfortunately miss game three of the season with a lower-body injury on Sunday. The 34-year-old will be replaced by Declan Chisholm (illness) in the lineup. Minnesota is expected to provide further updates on the injury later.

With Minnesota in need of depth on Sunday after a string of injuries, Jesper Wallstedt has be reassigned to Iowa (AHL). The 21-year-old has yet to make his season debut but is expected to return to the Wild early next to do so.

With Joel Eriksson Ek (upper-body) not travelling with the Wild on their upcoming seven day road trip, Travis Boyd has been recalled from Iowa (AHL) to provide some offensive depth. The 31-year-old appeared in 16 games with Arizona in 2023-24, scoring two goals, eight points and a +3 plus/minus.

Eriksson Ek did not travel with Minnesota for the start of their seven-game road trip after he took an elbow to the face from Adam Larsson in the second period and went to the locker room in Saturday's game. He missed the final 12:45 of the period before returning to the game in the third period with a full face shield. He only played one shift, though, and left the game again and did not return. Minnesota is expected to provide further updates on their star centre in the upcoming days.

Eriksson Ek took an elbow to the face from Adam Larsson in the second period and went to the locker room. He missed the final 12:45 of the period before returning to the game in the third period with a full face shield. He only played one shift, though, and left the game again and did not return. Eriksson Ek reportedly didn't travel to Winnipeg for Sunday's game, the start of a lengthy seven-game road trip for the Wild.

Filip Gustavsson was solid in the season opener for Minnesota, a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets, but he will serve as the backup to Fleury on Saturday against the Seattle Kraken. The goalie carousel is in full effect in Minnesota between Gustavsson, Fleury, and Jesper Wallstedt. The 39-year-old veteran Fleury appeared in 40 games (17-15-5) for Minnesota last season, posting a 2.98 GAA and .895 SV%. His 36 starts last season were his fewest in over a decade, a number that is likely to drop more this season.

Wallstedt was sent down to the Iowa Wild (AHL) on Thursday for salary cap implications but is expected to fight for playing time in Minnesota this season. Wallstedt was the 20th overall pick of the Minnesota Wild in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in Iowa (AHL), posting a solid 2.70 GAA and .910 SV% in 45 games (22-19-4).

Wallstedt is expected to fight for playing time in Minnesota this season but has been sent down to Iowa (AHL) for salary cap reasons ahead of their season opener on Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Wallstedt was the 20th overall pick of the Minnesota Wild in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in Iowa (AHL), posting a solid 2.70 GAA and .910 SV% in 45 games (22-19-4).

There is some uncertainty in Minnesota's crease this season with veteran Marc-Andre Fleury and rookie Jesper Wallstedt in the mix, but the club will turn to Gustavsson for their season opener on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 26-year-old Gustavsson showcased a winning pedigree in the 2022-23 season when he posted a remarkable 2.10 GAA and .931 SV% in 39 appearances (22-9-7), before posting a forgetful 3.06 GAA and .899 SV% in 45 2023-24 appearances (20-18-4). If Gustavsson is unable to revert to the talent he displayed two years ago, there will be two eager netminders waiting on deck to steal starts.

Chisholm was absent from Minnesota's final practice before their opener on Thursday vs. Columbus due to an illness and will not be ready for the game as well. The 24-year-old defensemen will be fighting to get into the Wild lineup nightly as he attempts to establish himself as an everyday player after three goals, eight points and 18 PIMs in 29 games played in 2023-24.