Wallstedt shatters rookie goaltending records, dominating with unparalleled saves and wins, proving he's more than just a stabilizing presence.
Another game and another Jesper Wallstedt story. With 27 saves in a 5-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets (14-14-6), Wallstedt picked up another impressive feat.
He didn't face a lot of volume but he did make some key saves at key times to keep the Minnesota Wild (21-9-5) in it.
“It was key saves at key times, and that’s what you need," Wild head coach John Hynes said on Wallstedt after the game on Thursday. "A team is going to make a push, or there's a breakdown and when you ket that type of goaltending, sometimes there is going to be a lot of volume on them and other games there's not. But either way, when you get those saves it gives you the best chance to win the game."
With his 10th win of the season, Wallstedt set a new franchise benchmark for the fewest games needed to reach 10 wins by a Wild rookie goaltender, doing it in just 13 appearances.
According to NHLStats, the previous mark belonged to Kaapo Kahkonen, who needed 14 games during the 2020–21 season.
What stands out isn’t simply the win total, but how quickly Wallstedt has established himself as a stabilizing presence. At a position where rookies are often sheltered, rotated, or protected through matchup management, the Wild have shown growing trust in the 23-year-old.
That trust has been rewarded with consistency, poise, and a calming presence behind a team that looks increasingly comfortable playing in front of him.
Records like this don’t guarantee long-term outcomes, look at Kahkonen for example. He was traded the year after and in the last two years the 29-year-old has played in one NHL game.
But this run by Wallstedt does signal something important. He isn’t just surviving at the NHL level. He’s setting the pace and raising expectations. He has played in 13 games this year and leads all NHL goaltenders in goals-against average (1.96), save percentage (.936) and shutouts (4).
Ultimately, what Wallstedt is doing right now goes beyond records and milestones. Those numbers matter, but they’re secondary to the way he’s commanding the position and the confidence he’s giving the group in front of him.
The Wild aren’t playing like a team hoping their rookie goalie can hang on. They’re playing like a team that expects saves when they matter. That’s the real takeaway from this run. This start feels less like a hot streak and more like the foundation of something real.
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