Wild Keep Goalie Decision Under Wraps Ahead of Game 1 Against Stars

The Minnesota Wild are entering the Stanley Cup playoffs with unwavering confidence in their goaltending duo, but the decision on who will start in Game 1 remains a closely guarded secret. As the team prepared for their first-round matchup against the Dallas Stars, coach John Hynes chose not to reveal whether Filip Gustavsson or Jesper Wallstedt will take the ice on Saturday afternoon.

Hynes emphasized the strength of both goaltenders, stating, “You can argue both sides, right? This is what I would say: We have two excellent goaltenders. We’ve had two excellent goaltenders all year long.” Gustavsson, now in his third season with the Wild, has been the favorite due to his experience, having made 49 starts this season. However, he enters the playoffs with a 4-6 postseason record, including a memorable debut where he made 51 saves in a double-overtime victory against the Stars three years ago.

Despite his past success, the 27-year-old Gustavsson struggled in the regular season’s final stretch, allowing four or more goals in five of his last six starts. While some might attribute this dip to the Wild’s comfortable playoff positioning, the coaching staff is clearly weighing their options. “I don’t know if that’s any stress for me,” Gustavsson said. “I don’t make that decision, so I just play when they tell me to play.”

On the other hand, Wallstedt, the rookie netminder and 2021 first-round draft pick, has made a strong case for himself. At just 23, he finished second in the NHL with a .916 save percentage, setting franchise rookie records with 18 wins and four shutouts over 33 starts. Hynes acknowledged the luxury of having two capable goalies, stating, “You can’t go wrong with the decision. Eventually we will make the decision and let the guys know what it’s going to be, but we feel comfortable that no matter who we play he’s going to give us a great game.”

As the series approaches, Hynes has also refrained from confirming whether both goalies will see action throughout the best-of-seven series. “We’ll just take it day by day and we’ll make the decision, we’ll go to Game 1 together as a team, and then we’ll see how that goes,” he said.

Adding an interesting layer to this goaltending dynamic, both Gustavsson and Wallstedt represented Sweden at the Winter Olympics earlier this year. Wallstedt expressed his eagerness, saying, “I like where I’m at. The game I’ve played lately has been good. I think I can play anyone. I’m excited if I get to play to show that in the playoffs.”

In addition to the goaltending uncertainty, Hynes has not finalized the rest of his lineup. However, the Wild’s standout duo of Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, who both scored 40 goals this season, will be strategically split between the first two lines to enhance balance. Notably, defenseman Quinn Hughes was absent from practice due to illness, but he will travel with the team to Dallas, and Hynes remains hopeful he will be ready to play on Saturday.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.