In their latest NHL power rankings, the World Wide Leaders also included each team’s most valuable player for the first twenty games of the season. For the Minnesota Wild, there were a couple of choices, but ESPN went with one that might lead to a bit of a dilemma for Minnesota down the road.
First off, ESPN ranked Minnesota 19th in the league, which seems a bit low considering the November the Wild have put forth. But considering they were ranked 27th in the last poll, it’s a pretty big jump. If they can keep up their winning ways, perhaps they’ll get into the top half of the league next time.
As for the MVP discussion, cases could be made for a few players:
Kirill Kaprizov - 24 points, 11 goals, 13 assists, 9.65 iXG
Matt Boldy - 22 points, 11 goals, 11 assists, 8.93 ixG, 73 individual scoring chances
Marcus Johansson - 17 points, 7 goals, 10 assists, 2 game-winning goals
Kaprizov has been the team’s best offensive player, despite his occasional turnover, and for a team that has struggled to score goals, they need him to produce. Boldly has been his running mate for most of the season, but the fact that he is scoring goals gives defensives two headaches to worry about when that line is on the ice.
Johansson might be a bit of a dark-horse in the MVP rankings, but his contributions as a secondary source of scoring has been big for the Wild. He’s already halfway to his 34-point season total last year, and he’s helped carry the second line while the team is dealing with the injuries to Marco Rossi and Vlad Tarasenko. The 21.21% shooting percentage isn’t sustainable, but if he can ride the hot streak until the players are back, the Wild should be okay.
In ESPN’s eyes, the most valuable player for the Wild up until this point has been Jesper Wallstedt. Yup, the 23-year-old has gone from back-up to The Wall of St. Paul. Their case is simple, in seven starts, he’s picked up at least a point in each one with his 5-0-2 record. He’s third in the league with a 2.20 GAA and stands alone atop the stats with a .926 SV%.
Has a goaltending controversy bloomed in Minnesota? Not according to head coach John Hynes, who prefers to label it a “good recipe”. Following Wallstedt’s latest outing, a career-best, 42-save shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes, Hynes told the press,
“To be able to have two guys that can play and that can stay fresh and stay on their game, it is valuable. If a guy plays and plays and plays and plays, sometimes as they go through that, maybe some of their games slip because the frequency of the games: You’re really just for the most part playing. Maybe you’re getting some shots on a morning skate or a practice day.
“But this [split] does allow the guy that’s not playing to get some good time with [goaltending coach Frederic Chabot] and work on their game, and they’re, I think, physically and mentally ready to play when they’re in.”
In the long run, general manager Bill Guerin may have to figure things out, but with the condensed schedule, having a 1a and 1b rotation in net is not a bad thing. Filip Gustavsson may not have the gaudy numbers that Wallstedt has on the season overall, but since the beginning of November he’s posted a 3-1-1 record with a .909 SV% and 2.33 GAA. Not too shabby.
Having two goaltenders playing pretty well isn’t a bad problem to have, but Hynes will have to find the right balance between playing the hot hand and making sure both goaltenders stay game-ready as he navigates a busy schedule up until the Christmas break.
With Gustavsson under contract for five seasons after this one thanks to his new extension, a strong season by Wallstedt, who is signed through 2026-27 and a restricted free agent after that, could give Guerin a pretty valuable trade chip. Would he be willing to part with the young netminder at the deadline if the right deal comes along? With each successful start, the price to pry either goaltender keeps rising, and that should make for an interesting remainder of the season.