In continuation of looking at possible goaltenders who could replace Sergei Bobrovsky if he decides to leave in free agency, we take a look at the evolving situation in the Minnesota Wild.
The Minnesota Wild took an important 3-2 series lead over the Dallas Stars last night, so they won’t be worrying about a trade at the moment, but when the off-season comes around, they could be looking to move a goaltender. Teams may be surprised to learn which of the two is available.
Throughout the regular season, Filip Gustavsson was the starting netminder, set to guide the Wild through the playoffs. But when Game 1 came around, coach John Hynes turned to the 23-year-old Jesper Wallstedt, the netminder the Wild were considering moving at the trade deadline.
Wallstedt finished his rookie season playing 35 games, recording a .916 save percentage and a 2.61 goals-against average. In the playoffs, those numbers are up to .926 and 2.05 after five games.
Gustavsson, on the other hand, played in 50 games, recording a .904 SP and 2.69 GAA, solid numbers. With his 219 games of NHL experience, as well as his experience playing in the post-season on two separate occasions, the expectation was that he would take the crease against the Stars.
Now that he doesn’t have the starting job, Gustavsson appears upset by the decision, as The Athletic reported that they attempted to interview the 27-year-old, who told them to “speak to the players playing.”
While this doesn’t guarantee that Gustavsson will be made available during the off-season, it raises the question, as the Wild have been very keen on adding another top-six center to improve their roster.
Gustavsson could be a great fit for the Florida Panthers. He’s accumulated a fair bit of NHL experience, participated in the Olympics, and fits the timeline of the players the Panthers currently have on the roster.
Should The Panthers Target Blues' Jordan Binnington If Sergei Bobrovsky Walks In Free Agency? The Florida Panthers may have a new No. 1 goaltender for the first time since 2019 if Sergei Bobrovsky leaves in free agency. Could St. Louis Blues' Jordan Binnington be the answer for the Panthers?
The issue that lies with Gustavsson and the Wild that the Panthers wouldn’t run into when attempting to trade with the St. Louis Blues and Jordan Binnington, or even the Winnipeg Jets and Connor Hellebuyck, is that the Wild want NHL players, preferably a top-six center, compared to the Blues and Jets, who want prospects and picks.
Aleksander Barkov is off the table, Sam Bennett, following his eight-year extension, is likely off the table as well, so the only options are Anton Lundell and Evan Rodrigues. The Panthers think very highly of Lundell, and they are unlikely to move him. Rodrigues probably doesn’t move the needle enough for the Wild.
They could look to move a winger such as Carter Verhaeghe, Eetu Luostarinen, or Mackie Samoskevich, but the Wild may not be interested.
It will be interesting to see how things play out for the Wild, and if the Panthers are in the market for a goaltender, will they approach GM Bill Guerin?
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