The Minnesota Wild are finally seeing some familiar faces return, and Filip Gustavsson is among the players making progress. That’s good news for a team that has dealt with its share of injuries. But there’s an interesting wrinkle developing in Minnesota. While Gustavsson has been working his way back from hip surgery, Jesper Wallstedt has been doing a pretty good job in goal.
Gustavsson hasn’t had much fun watching the season from the sidelines. Hip surgery in the offseason has kept him out of Minnesota’s lineup, but there’s finally a little movement on the recovery front.
According to The Athletic’s Joe Smith, Gustavsson is expected to travel with the Wild for their next three road games. He’s not ready to play yet, but that’s encouraging news for a goaltender who was expected to miss at least another month when his condition was discussed in mid-October.
At least he’s getting closer to being part of things again.
Wild Hot Despite Missing Several Pieces
Thursday’s practice brought a solid group of injured players back onto the ice. Faber, Spurgeon, Nick Foligno, Marcus Foligno and Gustavsson were all there, giving the Wild a look at what they’ve been missing.
The funny thing is, Minnesota hasn’t exactly been struggling without them.
The Wild went 11-3-3 in October and scored 25 points, tying Edmonton for the Western Conference lead. They’ve stayed near the top of the standings despite having so many regulars unavailable.
Now the conversation is changing. Instead of simply trying to get through the injury problems, Minnesota is starting to think about what happens when the missing players return. Finding room for everybody in the lineup is a challenge.
Jesper Wallstedt Has Changed the Conversation
Normally, bringing back an established goaltender like Gustavsson would be an easy decision. But Wallstedt has made things a little more complicated.
The young netminder has started 15 of Minnesota’s first 17 games and has taken advantage of the opportunity. He’s given the Wild a dependable option while Gustavsson has been unavailable, with Calvin Pickard also filling in at times.
That leaves Minnesota with an interesting goaltending situation once Gustavsson is ready.
The Wild will eventually have to decide how to divide the starts and how much playing time Wallstedt deserves after the work he’s put in. It’s not necessarily a problem the team needs to solve immediately, but it’s certainly a good one to have.
Hynes has praised those who have been in the lineup have helped the team win, and nobody should assume that returning from injury automatically means getting a regular spot back.
Minnesota Could Be Getting Stronger at the Right Time
Gustavsson’s recovery is only part of the good news. Faber, Spurgeon, and both Foligno brothers are also moving closer to returning.
That’s a lot of experience and depth potentially returning to the lineup as the schedule gets busier.
For Gustavsson, the immediate priority is getting completely healthy and working his way back into game action. He’ll be returning to a team that has managed quite well without him.
The interesting question is what happens in goal when he’s ready. Gustavsson has an established NHL résumé, but Wallstedt has earned some attention of his own.
Gustavsson Update Means Wild’s Goalie Situation Suddenly Complicated