Wild's Rookie Goaltender Jesper Wallstedt Will Start Game 1 Vs Dallas

TL;DR

Minnesota Wild's rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstedt will start Game 1 of the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Dallas Stars. Head coach John Hynes made the decision based on recent performance metrics.

Key points

Minnesota Wild will face Dallas Stars in playoffs
Jesper Wallstedt named Game 1 starter
Filip Gustavsson struggled in recent games

Minnesota WildDallas StarsJesper WallstedtFilip Gustavsson

The Minnesota Wild (46-24-12) is set to open the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on Saturday against the Dallas Stars (50-20-12) in Dallas.

One huge question coming into this series is who is starting in net for the Wild? Well, head coach John Hynes has announced the Game 1 starter.

The decision likely came down to who had played better over the last ten games.

Filip Gustavsson allowed four or more goals in five of his final six starts and went 2-4-0 with a 4.25 goals-against average and .836 save percentage.

Jesper Wallstedt finished the season with an 18-9-6 record, a 2.61 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.

In his final 10 games, Wallstedt went 4-3-2 with a 1.98 goals-against average and .930 save percentage.

Hynes said it's Wallstedt's net.

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Q&A

Why is Jesper Wallstedt starting for the Minnesota Wild in Game 1?

Jesper Wallstedt is starting due to his strong performance, finishing the season with an 18-9-6 record and a .915 save percentage, compared to Filip Gustavsson's struggles.

What were Filip Gustavsson's stats leading up to Game 1?

Filip Gustavsson went 2-4-0 in his last six starts, allowing four or more goals in five of those games, with a 4.25 goals-against average and .836 save percentage.

When does the Minnesota Wild play the Dallas Stars in the playoffs?

The Minnesota Wild will play the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of the 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on Saturday.