The NHL is shaking things up. Starting in the 2026-27 season, the regular season schedule expands from 82 to 84 games, adding 120 more minutes of ice time per team. That means every squad will need its goaltenders more than ever before—and the era of a single workhorse netminder playing night after night is officially fading fast.
Just look at Colorado. After rotating goalies during their second-round series victory over the Wild last week, the Avalanche are now a solid Stanley Cup favorite. It’s yet another sign that depth in the crease isn’t just a luxury—it’s a necessity.
So what does that mean for the Minnesota Wild? When asked about his future, goaltender Filip Gustavsson made it clear he sees a place for himself in the team’s crease next season. Gustavsson, who served as the Wild’s number one during the regular season, found himself backing up rookie Jesper Wallstedt in the playoffs. But he’s not worried about the competition.
“I don’t think much has changed,” Gustavsson told reporters Friday at Grand Casino Arena. “You know, me and Wally are huge competitors and we’re fighting for the same spot, the same as this year. We came out fighting in practice, fighting for the ice time, and that’s what we’re going to do next year, too, to help this team moving forward with a good goalie squad.”
Gustavsson signed a five-year contract extension at the start of the season and appeared in 50 games, winning 28. But a few rough starts in March and April opened the door. Wallstedt, playing his first full NHL season, won 18 of 35 games and caught fire just in time for the postseason. Wild coach John Hynes rode the rookie’s hot play all the way to the second round.
Looking back, Gustavsson admitted his game slipped after returning from the Olympics, where he played for Team Sweden. “I wouldn’t say the game itself was bad for me, like technical-wise or anything like that had to change. It’s more like just a bad rhythm, you know?” he said. “You get a few bounces and then you get a few more bad bounces, and it just took too long for me to catch up with that and get back into being super comfortable back there, show that calmness and give that team that super confidence in me.”
Gustavsson didn’t question Hynes’ decision to start Wallstedt in 10 of the Wild’s 11 playoff games. “Hynsie, as a head coach, probably saw that, and Wally played very good this year; played very good coming into playoff, too,” he said. “Why would you switch, then, if the team is playing good with that goalie at the back end there?”
Gustavsson got just one playoff start—a 5-2 loss to Colorado in Game 2 of the second round. Wallstedt finished 5-5 with a 2.77 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage, though he did give up eight goals in a wild 9-6 loss in Game 1 at Denver.
With the trade deadline approaching, Wallstedt’s name has been floated as a potential trade chip. But if the Wild are smart, they’ll hold onto both netminders. In a league moving toward 84 games and a heavier workload, two goalies aren’t a crowd—they’re a competitive edge.