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Can Jesper Wallstedt become the Great Wall of St. Paul?

The Minnesota Wild have a choice to make about the man in the net to begin the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

As expected, the Wild will take on the Dallas Stars in the first round of the tournament. This is something that’s seemed obvious since January. Minnesota had a chance to go for home-ice advantage in the matchup, however, they fell in a game to the Stars on April 9th.

Now, Minnesota will have to decide who will be in net for that first game at American Airlines arena in Dallas.

Jesper Wallstedt Has Chance to Start Game 1 in Dallas

Michael Russo of The Athletic recently weighed in on the possibility of Wallstedt starting over Gustavsson in Game 1.

“Gustavsson is 2-3 in his past five starts, has given up four or more goals in four of those starts, and has a 4.08 goals-against average and .847 save percentage in that stretch. He’s also coming off that Thursday start in Dallas that essentially cost the Wild home-ice advantage in the first round — a game that saw him allow five goals on 20 shots and give up minus-3.11 goals saved above expected, according to Money Puck.

Wallstedt, on the other hand, is 3-3-2 in his past nine games (eight starts) since the Olympics with a 1.97 goals-against average and .927 save percentage. He has allowed two goals or fewer in seven of his past eight starts.”

When you take all of the solid data to support the possibility of Wallstedt being the playoff starter, he has a real case. On the other hand, the Wild may view it safer as it can be fair to say Gustavsson has a lower floor with his playoff experience.

Minnesota Wild’s Hynes, Wallstedt Comment on Goalie Situation

Russo almost covered Hynes and Wallstedt’s comments on the goalie conundrum that the Wild face in Game 1. He began with Wallstedt.

“We’ll see what happens. I think I’ve played some really good hockey down the stretch now, I think the last 10, 11, 12 games, maybe … have been really solid, even though I haven’t won all of them. I think my game is in a great position.

I’m very confident in where I’m at, and I feel like I keep our team in games sometimes. And I want to just give them as good of a chance to win every game. So I really like where I’m at.”

John Hynes wasn’t eager to provide an answer to the starting goalie question.

“I haven’t gone down that road yet of that decision. I think I’m focused on both guys and seeing where both end up after the next two games, and then we’ll make a decision.”

That decision will come soon, as the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin this coming Saturday.