Wallstedt has not been able to maintain the otherworldly 1.14 GAA and .967 SV% he had in six November games (6-0-0), but has still been stellar in December, posting a 2.54 GAA and .919 SV% in six games (4-2-0). Minnesota enters Wednesday's contest as -166 road favorites against a San Jose Sharks team on a two-game winning streak.
Wallstedt gave up four goals on 41 shots in the Wild's 5-1 loss to the Avalanche last Sunday. After scorching hot November, Wallstedt has cooled off a bit as of late, going 2-2-0 with a 3.05 GAA and .906 SV% in his last four starts. On Saturday, he'll face a Jets team that has lost seven of their last eight games. He posted a 32-save shutout in Winnipeg in late November.
Minnesota has been firing on all cylinders lately, with outstanding goaltending and the recent acquisition of elite defenseman Quinn Hughes, and they have been catapulting up the Western Conference standings. The rookie Wallstedt leads the league with four shutouts and is coming off another terrific performance, saving 34 of 36 shots (.944 SV%) in a 3-2 win over the Ottawa Senators. He has a 1.95 GAA and .937 SV% in 12 games this season (9-1-2). Minnesota enters the action on Thursday as -115 road favorites against a Columbus Blue Jackets team that snapped a five-game losing skid (0-4-1) in Tuesday's 4-3 overtime win over the Anaheim Ducks.
Minnesota has been on a torrid pace lately, with points in 11 straight games (9-0-2), in part due to excellent tandem goaltending led by rookie Jesper Wallstedt. The 23-year-old Wallstedt has been nothing short of sensational lately, near perfect, posting an other-worldly 1.20 GAA, .967 SV%, and three shutouts in his last six games (6-0-0). He has a 1.93 GAA and .938 SV% in nine games this season (7-0-2).
After a poor start to the season, Minnesota has won six straight and skyrocketed up the Western Conference standings, led by superfluous goaltending. Wallstedt will tend the twine of Friday against the red-hot Colorado Avalanche, looking to improve on an outstanding run in November, where he has a near-perfect 0.99 GAA, .970 SV%, and three shutouts in five games (3-0-0). The 23-year-old rookie has a 1.94 GAA and .935 SV% in eight games this season (6-0-2).
Minnesota drafted Wallstedt 20th overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and eagerly hoped his skill would develop at the NHL level. In recent weeks, Wallstedt has done just that, earning more playing time, and will return to the crease on Wednesday against the Carolina Hurricanes. The 23-year-old Wallstedt has been excellent lately, posting an absurd 0.70 GAA and .978 SV% in his last three games (3-0-0) and is currently riding a two-game shutout streak. He has a 2.10 GAA and .924 SV% in six games this season (4-0-2). Still, Minnesota enters Wednesday's contest as +147 home underdogs against a Carolina team that defeated them 4-3 earlier this month.
Wallstedt will make just his fourth start of the season when the Wild travel to Long Island on Friday. The former first-round pick struggled mightily in his last outing, allowing six goals on 25 shots in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Sharks on October 26th. Wallstedt carries a 1-0-2 record and .863 SV% into the Friday night's matchup with the Islanders, where the Wild enter action at +130 on the money line.
With the offseason retirement of Marc-Andre Fleury, Wallstedt has emerged as Minnesota's undisputed backup goalie behind Filip Gustavsson. Wallstedt was the 20th overall pick of Minnesota in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, and he will make his season debut on Monday against the Los Angeles Kings. The 22-year-old Wallstedt has five NHL games under his belt (2-3-0), posting a 3.44 GAA and .877 SV%. Minnesota enters Monday's contest as -104 home underdogs against a 1-2-0 Los Angeles team.
