The Minnesota Wild will be busy as they look to improve their roster this offseason and a big trade chip will be goaltender Jesper Wallstedt. Many assume that Wallstedt will be traded as general manager Bill Guerin pursues a No. 1 center. But the latest rumor surrounding Wallstedt isn’t a rumor at all as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggests he may not be the goalie filling out change of address forms this summer.
“I don’t think they’re moving Jesper Wallstedt anymore,” Friedman said on the FAN Hockey Show. “I think if they deal anyone, it’ll probably be the other guy.”
“The other guy” is Filip Gustavsson, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract extension before the start of last season. But despite the financial commitment, Wallstedt has made his availability a discussion and it sets up an interesting dilemma as the Wild look to make a blockbuster deal to get them over the top.
The Wild have a decision to make with their two good goalies
The Wild reaped the benefit of having two good goalies last year as Wallstedt and Gustavsson worked as a tandem. Gustavsson was considered the 1a of the group, going 28-15-6 with a .903 save percentage and a 2.69 goals against average. But Wallstedt was even better, posting an 18-9-6 record, .915 save percentage and 2.61 goals against average.
This played out in the final weeks of the season as Wallstedt outplayed Gustavsson after the Olympic break and took over the net for the playoffs. Playing 10 of the Wild’s 11 playoff games, Wallstedt posted a .909 save percentage and 2.77 goals against average and looked the part of a No. 1 goaltender outside of a 9-6 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.
That performance should make any team pound the table for Wallstedt in a potential package for a star that could help the Wild. The seeds have also been planted after the Wild reportedly offered Wallstedt and Danila Yurov for St. Louis Blues center Robert Thomas before February’s trade deadline. But it also should make Guerin have second thoughts moving a 23-year-old goaltender with upside.
This is why Friedman’s comments make sense. Gustavsson has experience as a top goaltender and the Edmonton Oilers have already been rumored as a suitor. The Oilers’ desperation could also help Guerin acquire assets that can be used to keep Wallstedt out of a deal for a No. 1 center, but Gustavsson’s contract and health make that difficult.
Guerin revealed this week that Gustavsson will have hip surgery in the coming weeks and that his timetable for recovery is unknown. While he may have used the last part in an attempt to keep Gustavsson’s trade value afloat, hip surgery is a serious development for any goaltender and could hamper their effectiveness when they return to the ice.
There’s also a full no-movement clause in Gustavsson’s contract. Perhaps if the Wild make it clear that Wallstedt will be the No. 1 goalie, Gustavsson would be willing to waive it. Joining a team that features Connor McDavid and has its eyes set on a Stanley Cup is another card in the Wild’s favor. But if Wallstedt nixes the deal or his hip isn’t quite right, it may not matter which goaltender Minnesota wants in a deal.
This also could be a case of the Wild trying to keep their leverage. Teams know that Gustavsson has an uncertain timetable for his return. They also know Gustavsson is locked in long-term and Wallstedt is the more likely of the two to be traded. But the report hints that the Wild is not interested in giving Wallstedt away and it will take a significant offer in order to land the young netminder.
Perhaps if Guerin created a time machine, he could stop himself from offering an extension to Gustavsson and make him more tradeable this offseason. But he doesn’t have that option and has created a big mess if Friedman’s comments about the Wild having second thoughts come true.
It’s a situation that will unfold over the summer and could see either Gustavsson or Wallstedt on a new team by the time next season rolls around.
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