Wild confirms starting goaltender for Game 1 vs. Stars

The Minnesota Wild (46-24-12) will open their 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs first-round series on Saturday against the Dallas Stars (50-20-12).

Heading into the series, the main uncertainty for the Wild was their choice in goal. That has been clarified by head coach John Hynes, who confirmed on Friday that Jesper Wallstedt will start Game 1. The decision ends the primary lineup debate heading into the series, with Hynes opting for Wallstedt over veteran Filip Gustavsson after evaluating recent performances and consistency down the stretch.

Gustavsson’s late-season form partly drove the decision. He allowed four or more goals in five of his final six starts and went 2-4-0 over those games with a 4.25 goals-against average and a .836 save percentage. Since the March 6 trade deadline, his save percentage dropped to .875, and he finished the season 28-15-6 after struggling late, including a stretch where he conceded at least four goals in all but one of his final six appearances.

Wallstedt, meanwhile, finished the regular season 18-9-6 with a 2.61 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage, setting a franchise rookie wins record. Over his final 10 games, he went 4-3-2 with a 1.98 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage. He also ended the season with a .916 save percentage, ranked second in the league, and posted a .931 save percentage against playoff teams with a 9-3-4 record. Since the trade deadline, he has carried a .930 save percentage and allowed two or fewer goals in eight of his final nine starts. His season also included a seven-game winning streak with four shutouts and a 175-minute shutout streak, the longest by an NHL rookie since 2015.

Against playoff teams this season, Wallstedt went 9-3-4 with a .931 save percentage, while Gustavsson recorded a .917 career postseason save percentage and a 2.53 goals-against average. Gustavsson owns a 2.53 goals-against average and .917 save percentage in his playoff career, and he also played in Minnesota’s playoff series against Dallas in 2023, where the Wild were eliminated in six games.

The Stars led the NHL in goals from high-danger areas inside 29 feet, and in that area, Wallstedt outperformed Gustavsson with a .830 save percentage compared to .811. Hynes and goalie coach Frederic Chabot met with both goaltenders before communicating the decision.

Minnesota enters the series missing core regulars Kirill Kaprizov, Jonas Brodin, and captain Jared Spurgeon. At the same time, defenseman Zach Bogosian is expected to return, and Quinn Hughes is anticipated to play despite illness.

Wallstedt will now make his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in the same building where he made his NHL debut on Jan. 10, 2024, when he allowed seven goals in a 7-2 loss to the Stars.

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