A shocking trade candidate has emerged out of the blue. Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt was on fire to start the 2025–26 campaign, even placing second in NHL.com’s midseason Calder Trophy poll. Now, he’s reportedly on the block.
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The natural reaction to this news is confusion. But if done right, it might actually be a good idea for the Wild to deal the 23-year-old budding star.
Wallstedt’s Regression and Declining Usage
Wallstedt’s start to the season was nothing short of elite. From opening night to Dec. 20, 2025, he had a .936 save percentage, 1.99 goals-against average, and 11.60 goals saved above expected—all top-three marks among netminders with double-digit games played. His 10–1–2 record was the cherry on top.
Since then, things haven’t gone so well. He has a .873 save percentage, 3.98 goals-against average, minus-7.38 goals saved above expected, and a 2–4–2 record. Wallstedt was previously getting every other start for the Wild, going 50/50 with Filip Gustavsson, but now his usage has dipped back to true backup status.
Inconsistency is normal for a young goaltender. For most teams, this wouldn’t be a reason to do anything drastic.
But the Wild aren’t most teams. After acquiring defenseman Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks in December, Minnesota has ascended to Stanley Cup contender status. With a 29–14–10 record, the window is right now.
With Gustavsson, who has a five-year extension kicking in after the season, reemerging as the definitive No. 1, it’s making Wallstedt one of the less important members of the team.
When you’re in a Cup window, you can’t afford to let time go to waste. If someone who isn’t making a big impact has star trade value, it’s more than worth exploring your options.
What Should the Wild Be Looking For?
The primary target for the Wild is sort of obvious: a center. Their wing depth has been superb this season, and the defense is among the best in the league. But this team could use another star down the middle.
Minnesota will have a few options here. One path is acquiring a veteran performing at a high level right now, which would theoretically give the team the best chance to win a Stanley Cup in the immediate future. The Wild could also go for a younger center. Perhaps they’re playing good hockey now, but their best is yet to come.
Wallstedt is presumably good enough to get one of these centers in a one-for-one swap, or close to it. Let’s explore two moves:
One option would be Ryan O’Reilly of the Nashville Predators. With 51 points in 52 games and ranking 54th in Wins Above Replacement (WAR) among forwards, he’s playing like a top-line center on a team building for the future. Given that he’s 34 years old, however, it’d be a huge risk to part with a potential franchise goaltender for someone Father Time could strike down at any moment. Still, the upside is massive.
Related: Oilers Should Trade for the Predators’ Ryan O’Reilly
Now, the Predators may not seem like the perfect Wallstedt destination, seeing as they traded Yaroslav Askarov—another young goaltender with elite potential—for futures back in August 2024. But things have changed a lot since then, with Nashville pivoting to a “win-later” philosophy.
Shifting gears, the Wild may want to target a younger center. Fortunately for them, 2022 fourth-overall pick Shane Wright has emerged in rumors. While the 22-year-old isn’t in his physical prime yet, it may make sense for Minnesota to take a swing.
Wright hasn’t gotten much of an opportunity with the Seattle Kraken, as the team has opted to give Matty Beniers and Chandler Stephenson the lion’s share of minutes down the middle. Wright has been a bit of an outcast, but after putting up 44 points in 79 games as a third-liner last season, he may be worth the gamble.
Seattle is a defense-first team that relies on its goalies, but netminders Joey Daccord (30) and Philipp Grubauer (34) will both be in their 30s by the start of next season. For a team that has picked eighth overall in back-to-back draft classes—thus being “far away”—a youthful presence between the pipes would be preferable.
So, should the Wild be itching to trade Wallstedt? Well, not necessarily. But when you consider that the team’s window is wide open and Gustavsson’s five-year deal, what other choice is there? If they can make a splash down the middle, the idea should at least be explored. Otherwise, Minnesota may be wasting precious win-now years.
Stats courtesy of Hockey Stats
