Will the Wild's Gustavsson-Wallstedt goalie tandem be ‘rivalry' or partnership?

New York Times

22-05-2025

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Filip Gustavsson knew he had something special, something unique, in Marc-Andre Fleury.
It wasn't just that Fleury is a future Hall of Famer. A legend. One of the best teammates ever. An all-time prankster. Fleury was also the right mentor at the right time for the 26-year-old Swedish goaltender in his rise to becoming the Minnesota Wild's No. 1 goalie.
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A backup who backed him up.
They shared jokes, rides, advice. They were friends and each other's biggest fans.
'Usually, you have more of a rivalry between goalies because only one guy can play,' Gustavsson said. 'It felt like (Fleury) was very happy when I played and vice versa a little bit more. That's something that's very rare. I'm trying to get into this league and be more established all the time. He's on his way out a little bit.'
With Fleury retiring this season, Gustavsson knows the dynamic going forward will change.
'It's going to be more of a rivalry again,' he said.
That figures to be between Gustavsson, now the entrenched starter who could sign an extension this summer, and fellow Swede Jesper Wallstedt, the anticipated 'goalie of the future' who has a lot to prove.
How the dynamic plays out, and how they perform, could go a long way in determining the Wild's fate.
'It's going to be really interesting,' said Linda Blomquist, who spent time as both Gustavsson's and Wallstedt's goalie coach in Sweden. 'Filip is a really relaxed, down-to-earth, really chill, funny guy. I hope he can hand that off to Jesper.
'Jesper, on the other hand, has a lot of pressure on his shoulders, being a top prospect. I'm hoping (Gustavsson) can be a Fleury to Jesper.'
For the past 11 years, from when Gustavsson was 15, he has trained with Blomquist in Lulea, about an hour south of his hometown.
Wallstedt joined Blomquist when he was around 15, too, having played for Lulea in the Swedish Hockey League until he turned pro in North America in 2022.
One notable element in the pairing is that the goalies are pretty similar in their technique — how they play the position. That could help them. Blomquist said Gustavsson's rough 2023-24 season and Wallstedt's struggles this past season were both partly because they were getting away from the simple approach that's made them successful. Gustavsson, at times, tried to be too much like Fleury in net.
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Blomquist said she plans to talk to Gustavsson this summer about his approach to working with Wallstedt.
'Filip is a really nice guy, and it doesn't surprise me that he really likes the partnership part of it,' Blomquist said. 'He doesn't want to fight with anybody. If he has to, he's super, super competitive, but I feel he's more competitive directed internally toward himself and not so much what other people think, say or do.
'Jesper has been more competitive at a younger age and in a different way than Filip. Filip has been, for a long time, 'I love hockey, I want to play.' Jesper's mindset has been, 'I want to show them I'm the best.' Filip would never say that; he'd show you. I think the last two years in the (AHL) have changed Jesper a little bit in a positive way. He's been humbled. That's been really good for him.'
Gustavsson, of all people, knows there's a business side to this game. He's already been traded twice — from the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Ottawa Senators in 2018, and then to the Wild in the summer of 2022. Then he found himself in trade rumors again last season, with the Wild open to moving him.
Now, just 12 months later, there's talk of Minnesota approaching Gustavsson about an extension this summer, when he's one year removed from free agency.
'This business is very quick,' Gustavsson said. 'It's a weird job to have. They can like you, they don't like you and then they can like you again.'
Filip Gustavsson's gesture Tuesday spoke to both his character + his relationship with Marc-Andre Fleury. With Gustavsson growing into #mnwild No. 1, exploring bond that's shaping franchise future in net. 'I love 'Gus',' Fleury says. 'Whatever he needs.' https://t.co/TGHhVuGG2q
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) April 18, 2025
That's why Gustavsson isn't necessarily expecting contract talks to start this summer. He'd be open to them. He'd love to stay.
And he'd like more time playing with Wallstedt. Gustavsson said they once briefly shared an apartment in Sweden, and he got to spend more time with Wallstedt last summer in Minnesota, playing golf and video games. But they're not close like he is with Fleury.
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'It's going to be good,' Gustavsson said. 'I get my own personal opinion on how he is as a guy and all that stuff.'
When Gustavsson said it was going to be a 'rivalry,' it didn't mean he expected acrimony. But they're two young goalies competing for the same net. It's not a new situation for Gustavsson, but it will be different than with Fleury.
'It's gonna be a little quiet, I think,' Gustavsson said. 'Usually I am not the most talkative person and, you know, having (Fleury) talking and coming up with a lot of things, giving advice and having that very big smile coming into practice every day and competing every Monday morning at 9 o'clock in the morning, he's gotta be missed for that.'
Wallstedt has mostly watched Gustavsson from afar this season, and he has been impressed. He seems open to learning from him. Wallstedt went through an extremely rough season with AHL Iowa, calling it 'terrible,' and said he's hoping for a similar 'reset' to Gustavsson's last summer. Get away from hockey for a little bit, be around family, then work your butt off to be ready.
'He's been exceptional this year,' Wallstedt said of Gustavsson. 'I remember all you guys (media) ripping him from last year, not being as good as possible, and see what a bounce back year he had? That's something I can take away as well. The way he has worked, it's paid off for him. Maybe he's learned a lot of things from other experiences. It's not even about hockey. It could be stuff that goes on the outside as well. There could be a lot of things that your life throws at you.'
Blomquist said Gustavsson being a first-time dad during the 2022-23 season impacted him — mostly in a positive way, in putting the game in perspective, but also there was an adjustment to Gustavsson's routine.
'The job is very demanding,' Gustavsson said. 'That takes time to figure out what to do, when to be available, when I've got to go to sleep.'
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As for the trade rumors last summer, Blomquist said it wasn't something Gustavsson spoke about. All he knew was that the Wild weren't happy with how that past year went, and neither was he, and he was determined to show he'd get better.
'It affects everybody, they read and hear things,' Blomquist said. 'I don't know if the rumors per se affected him. He knew Minnesota wasn't happy, and he came to realize how much of a business the NHL is and how much of a trading item he is. He's someone you pay a lot of money to, but if you don't, someone else can have his job. He's pretty aware of that. He just wanted to stay in Minnesota. He liked it there. He was focused on being the best version of himself.'
The Wild are planning on Wallstedt being Gustavsson's backup to start next season, though they're going to try to find an experienced No. 3 to have in AHL Iowa (or be able to step in at the NHL level if either gets hurt). Can Wallstedt put in an effective 20 or 25 games as an NHL backup? That remains to be seen. But how Gustavsson and Wallstedt work together will be telling.
Jesper Wallstedt isn't making excuses. Last season was "terrible."
But it hasn't cracked the faith of the touted #mnwild prospect – or the team's brass. A very candid 1-on-1.
"I've not been good enough. But that doesn't change what I can become."https://t.co/rO3KjB8SAb
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) May 14, 2025
'I think you always have to help each other in that way,' Gustavsson said. 'When you're at this level, you can just do so much with the technique. But it's all about your headspace. If you had a bad year, I don't think it's as much about technique or that; it's all about mindset and space. Having a summer reset and all that stuff can be positive and pushing each other next year. It's going to be good.'
Will the two resume Gustavsson and Fleury's tradition of coming up with animals, fruits, etc., from letters A-Z during timeouts and intermissions? Maybe they'll find their own thing.
But it'll be important for the goalie of the present and future to connect.
'I'm hoping they're going to support each other,' Blomquist said. 'I called a lot of goalies when they've had top prospects on my team here at home, and they worry about the competition and the rivalry between someone who is almost as good as you. I tell them they don't have to worry about the competition; they both can be successful in the long run.
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'Instead of putting a lot of energy into being bitter about someone else's success, same with Jesper and Filip, you've got to support them. (Fleury) is the best example of that kind of person you can have. I don't think there are a lot of Fleury's out there. But I hope they can bring the best out of each other.'
(Top photos of Jesper Wallstedt, Filip Gustavsson and Marc-Andre Fleury courtesy of the Wild and by Nick Wosika / USA Today)