DALLAS — jesper wallstedt will start Game 1 for the Wild when their first-round series opens Saturday against the Stars in Dallas. Coach John Hynes made the call Friday after practice, choosing the rookie over veteran Filip Gustavsson for the playoff opener. The move gives jesper wallstedt a chance to carry a strong regular season into his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in the same building where he made his NHL debut.
Hynes backs Wallstedt for the opener
Hynes said the decision came after weighing the goalie’s recent run, his overall body of work, and the other factors that go into a Game 1 choice. He said both goaltenders were informed before the team practiced Friday and described his discussion with Gustavsson as a very good meeting.
“His overall body of work has been really solid, ” Hynes said. “He’s played really well coming down the stretch, but also you want to take into consideration the track record of the goalie. ”
Hynes added that personality, current performance and past performance all played a role, and he stressed that the choice was made for Game 1. Jesper Wallstedt enters the series after a season that pushed him into a 1A/1B situation after starting as Gustavsson’s backup.
Why the Wild chose the rookie
Wallstedt finished 18-9-6 and set the franchise record for rookie wins. He closed the regular season on a 4-1 run and finished with the second-best save percentage in the league at. 916. Against playoff teams, he posted a 9-3-4 record with a. 931 save percentage, a stretch that stood out in the team’s evaluation.
The late-season edge for Wallstedt came as Gustavsson struggled down the stretch. Gustavsson went 2-4-0 in his final six starts and allowed four or more goals in five of those outings, finishing the year 28-15-6. For his career, Gustavsson carries a. 917 postseason save percentage and a 2. 53 goals-against average.
That matchup history matters here: Gustavsson was in net for much of the Wild’s 2023 playoff series against Dallas, when Minnesota was eliminated in six games. This time, Jesper Wallstedt gets the opening nod.
What it means for Dallas and Minnesota
The Stars opened the series as the home team, and Dallas had been described as especially dangerous from high-danger areas inside 29 feet. In that zone, Wallstedt held a. 830 save percentage this season, compared with Gustavsson’s. 811.
Hynes also said defenseman Zach Bogosian is expected to return from a lower-body injury, while Quinn Hughes is anticipated to play despite illness. Minnesota is also entering the series without Kirill Kaprizov, Jonas Brodin and captain Jared Spurgeon.
For Wallstedt, the moment is heavy with symmetry: his first NHL game came against Dallas in this building, and now jesper wallstedt is set to open the playoffs there as well. The Wild will now see whether the rookie’s regular-season surge can carry into the postseason, with Game 1 offering the first answer.
