It sure seems like the Wild have finally found another franchise star to build around

After a slow start to the season, the Minnesota Wild have been on fire as of late.

Following Sunday, the Wild are currently on a five-game winning streak and have won seven of their last eight games. Because of that, the team has catapulted up to third place in what has been a competitive and crowded Central Division.

Minnesota's fifth consecutive win arrived by way of defeating the Winnipeg Jets 3-0. Goaltender Jesper Wallstedt had another strong showing for the Wild, as he stopped all 32 shots faced. It continued what has been a strong November for the rookie goaltender. In five starts, Wallstedt has a 5-0-0, a .970 save percentage, a 0.99 goals allowed average, and three shutouts to his credit.

It may have only been a month into the season, but Wallstedt has shown that he can be a focal point for the franchise alongside Kirill Kaprizov.

Kirill Kaprizov isn't the only franchise star the Wild need to build around right now

In today's NHL, it's incredibly difficult for teams to find a competent, consistent goaltender, let alone a superstar. Sometimes, lack of competent goaltending can hold a team back. Look no further than the Edmonton Oilers, who are currently going through it with a lackluster goalie tandem of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard.

Ironically, the Oilers could have had Wallstedt in the 2021 NHL draft. Instead, they traded the No. 20 pick to Minnesota, and the rest is history. The Wild are certainly happy they traded up to land Wallstedt, who looks like a superstar in the making.

The Wild have never made it to the Stanley Cup Final in their franchise's history. The closest they've ever gotten is the Western Conference Finals in 2003, where they lost to the Anaheim Mighty Ducks in a four-game sweep -- ironically to a goaltender who was on a white hot run.

If the Wild are going to change that, then building around Wallstedt and Kirill Kaprizov, a pair of franchise cornerstones.

This offseason, the Wild and general manager Bill Guerin ensured that Kaprizov would hit unrestricted free agency next summer. After a rejected initial offer, the Wild and Kaprizov agreed to terms on an eight-year, $136 million contract extension. Considering this is the richest contract in NHL history, the Wild would need to hit on draft picks to ensure the roster was complete with multiple quality players.

Considering how hard it is to hit on a starting goaltender, they seem to have struck gold with Wallstedt. He has been lights out so far this season, and he is on an affordable deal before becoming a restricted free agent in the summer of 2027.

This might be the time for the Wild to strike and solidify that they are a legitimate threat to win the Stanley Cup this year.