Jesper Wallstedt Ready to Lead the Wild After a transformative Summer Reset

By Sarah McLellan

After the Minnesota Wild’s loss in the second round of the playoffs against the Colorado Avalanche, Jesper Wallstedt felt disconnected from the game. He returned to Sweden, celebrated his father’s 60th birthday in Portugal, and traveled to Lake Como for former teammate Marco Rossi’s wedding. “I played way too much golf,” he said.

Following several months away from hockey, Wallstedt admitted he grew “hungry for it again.” The timing could not be more opportune, as the Wild have positioned him as the unequivocal starter for the upcoming season.

Wallstedt, 23, will enter the season as the Wild’s undisputed number one. Filip Gustavsson—who anchored the Wild through the first round and helped secure a comeback victory over Dallas—remains sidelined after hip surgery, while veteran Calvin Pickard was added to provide depth. In only his second full NHL year, Wallstedt wants to maintain his status as the primary go-to goalkeeper.

“Now it’s not about making the team,” Wallstedt said. “It’s about, ‘OK, I want to be the guy. I want to play every night. I want to be more consistent and give the team a good chance to win every night.’ I think there are going to be higher expectations, and that’s something good. That’s the way you want it to be.”

Minnesota Wild's Jesper Wallstedt Should Be Considered The NHL's 2026-27 Vezina Trophy Front-Runner
Although it's early in the 2026-27 NHL season, Minnesota Wild's Jesper Wallstedt has played phenomenally and should be considered the front-runner to win the Vezina Trophy.

Wallstedt’s breakthrough began last season, when he went from rookie backup to full‑time starter. He posted an 18‑9‑6 record with a .916 save percentage—the second‑best in the league—and recorded four shutouts, tying for third most. In the opening round against Dallas, he delivered a six‑one demolition in Game 1 before the Stars rallied with back‑to‑back wins, including a double‑overtime thriller in Game 3. Wallstedt then held the high‑scoring Stars to two goals each in the next three games, securing the Wild’s first playoff series victory in 11 years.

“I know the history of everything,” he said after the win. “I saw our fans when we scored the fourth goal. Looking back through the glass, I saw someone crying in the stands. It shows how big this is for our fan base—not just us, but so many more people who are with us on this journey. The excitement and joy of moving past the first round is huge.”

I want to be the guy. I want to play every night. I want to give the team a good chance to win every night.

– – Jesper Wallstedt

Just three days later, the Wild faced the Avalanche. After a 9‑6 defeat in Game 1, Wallstedt was rested for Game 2 while Gustavsson played. He returned for the remainder of the postseason, culminating in a heartbreaking Game 5 overtime loss when the Wild surrendered a 3‑0 lead and Colorado equalized late in regulation. Brett Kulak’s one‑timer slipped past Wallstedt, sending the Avalanche to the Western Conference final and ending the Wild’s run short of their goal.

Wallstedt described stepping away as a welcome change from “living in it all the time” during his youth. “You get excited to get back again,” he said, “and you start to enjoy it and appreciate what you do again.”

It was the most fun I’ve ever had playing hockey. Those games were the best.

– – Jesper Wallstedt on the 2026 playoff run

Wallstedt, a 2021 first‑round pick, emphasized that the playoff experience was crucial for his development. “There’s mostly adrenaline, especially the first couple games,” he said. “But obviously a lot to take away from it. For me, it was the most fun I’ve ever had playing hockey. Those games were the best. It was so much fun and definitely something to keep in the back of my head going forward and knowing that that’s where you want to be. That’s the hockey I want to play in.”

The Wild expect to be serious Stanley Cup contenders next season. With star forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy anchoring the offense and a defense led by 2024 Norris Trophy winner Quinn Hughes, Minnesota is finally a depth‑worthy squad—and Wallstedt’s play helped build that foundation.

He also aims to be a central reason the team pushes further in the postseason. “I obviously have to be a key player in that, to bring our team success early,” Wallstedt said. “I’m excited for it. It’s different, but it kind of feels like that’s where I ended last year and kind of where I want to begin this season, too, and kind of just build off of everything I learned last year and hopefully play a lot of hockey.”

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