The Minnesota Wild have made it clear that they have big plans this offseason. When general manager Bill Guerin spoke to reporters including The Athletic’s MIchael Russo for his end of season press conference on Monday, he said he “won’t sit on his hands” when it comes to improving the team ahead of next season. But some things may be out of his control.
That came later in Monday’s press conference when Guerin revealed that goaltender Filip Gustavsson will undergo hip surgery this summer per The Athletic’s Joe Smith. The update became more ominous when he said they wouldn’t know his status for next season until after the operation and it could be a development that alters Guerin’s offseason plans and could force him to keep Jesper Wallstedt longer than expected.
Wild may have to hold onto Jesper Wallstedt after Filip Gustavsson’s injury update
Keeping Wallstedt in Minnesota isn’t a bad thing. The 23-year-old had a strong first full season in the NHL, forming a goalie tandem with Gustavsson and posting an 18-9-6 record with a 2.61 goals against average and a .915 save percentage. He also took control of the net during the Wild’s playoff run, going 5-5 with a 2.77 GAA and .909 save percentage in 10 starts and looked like a future No. 1 goalie.
The problem is that the Wild need to improve in a division that features the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche. In their pursuit of a No. 1 center, Wallstedt also may be Minnesota’s best trade chip after depleting its prospect pool and draft capital to go all-in during the 2025-26 season.
This makes any team with an available superstar demanding Wallstedt in return, but Gustavsson’s injury news could temporarily take him off the table.
Gustavsson began the year on a high note by signing a five-year, $34 million contract extension before the start of the season. But his performance tailed off when he returned from the Olympics, allowing 39 goals and posting a .895 save percentage over his final 14 starts.
The hip injury could provide a good reason as to why Gustavsson struggled and ceded the net to Wallstedt down the stretch. But could provide some concerns. In the short term, Gustavsson could create a big hole in the Minnesota net if he’s not ready to go at the beginning of next season and it could get bigger if Wallstedt is traded for a No. 1 center.
The concerns get bigger in the long-term. While some goalies including Pekka Rinne rebounded from hip surgery to be successful later in their careers, there are others including Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks, Petr Mrazek of the Anaheim Ducks and former Vegas Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner, who either had lingering effects or had their careers shut down entirely after surgery.
This could persuade Guerin to pump the brakes on shopping Wallstedt this summer unless a favorable deal presents itself. But it could also have him wait until the beginning of next season to make sure Gustavsson makes a full recovery. And even if the Wild wanted to bail on Gustavsson following his poor performance, the injury (and Gustavsson's full no movement clause) leave the Wild unable to take advantage of a desperate team like the Edmonton Oilers, who were rumored to be a potential trade partner to acquire Gustavsson this summer.
It’s an update the Wild do not need as they craft their plans for the offseason and something to keep an eye on as Guerin looks to make a splash.
Add us as a preferred source on Google