Article: Will Jesper Wallstedt Be Ready To Replace Filip Gustavsson In 2026-27?

[Kalisha Turnipseed]

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[Protec]

Let's not get the cart ahead of the horse. If Fleury retires, we want to extend Gus. Wallstedt is still where Gus was in Ottawa, an unknown, unproven talent. 

Wally has to earn it. You try to retain your top guy. That's priority one til something goes sideways. Keeping an early Vezina candidate like Gus is more reliable if he continues to prove it. Wally is a young NHL player. Gotta work your way up. Gus may be too expensive sure, so there could be that problem. 

There's some stuff to think about for sure, but no need to jump way ahead. 

Edited 5 hours ago by Protec

[MNCountryLife]

$7.5M AAV seems a bit high for a solid keeper.  Gus sure has been solid though.  The Wall did ok on Sunday but he looked a bit more iffy than Gus.  I like Gus a lot at $6M... not so much at $7M.  Balance is a must. Overpaying for a player always hurts the team.

[Up North Guy]

Whatever the price they agree to with Gus, please let there be no movement clauses. We have enough of those.

[Sam]

I would have to disagree with Protec here and say “put the cart in front of the dang horse!” I started paying attention to the Wild about 4 years ago around when we drafted The Wall, and all I can remember is all the hype about how good he is. I recall reading articles about how he’s supposed to be our “franchise goaltender” or whatever. I know he’s had a tough go in Iowa, but letting him toil and struggle there can’t be good for his mental wellbeing. I say bring him over here. 

[Protec]

It's a gamble either way. There are many highly touted goaltenders who have fizzled at the NHL level. Some have come in right away and become a 1A netminder but there are many examples like Carter Hart, Spencer Knight, and even Gus who were inconsistent or who required time to mature. 

I think you wanna retain Gus, he's earned that next deal. Especially if he keeps it up all season. Wallstedt, if he's such a great talent and future NHL great should prove that. 

There are very few Fleurys or Demkos who show up and lock down a 1A spot in their first year or two. That's my main point. Should a wise GM put all eggs in one young goalie basket? My gut tells me GMBG won't do that. 

[1Brotherbill]

1 hour ago, Up North Guy said:

Whatever the price they agree to with Gus, please let there be no movement clauses. We have enough of those.

He will get a few years of that regardless.  If they sign him for anything more than two years he will get NMC on the contract.  Pretty much everyone over 30 gets NMC on the contract especially if they are considered long term which is what he would be. 

[1Brotherbill]

Fluery put a monkey wrench in this entire system.  I love him and will be sad to see him go.  However, if he didn't extend on year we would have Gus and Jesper on the team right now.  Hlavaj would be in Iowa as the third.  A young group of goalies for sure but a clear line of succession.  Now we have a chaos of who is going to stop the puck.  I still think Gus and Jesper should be on the team next year and play out the end of Gus's contract don't sign him until late in the season or at the end of the season.  Reason being is that one year after you extend Gus you have to decided on what to do with Jesper.  I would hate to look back on making a move early and wondering why we pay 7 million for someone who can't stop a beach ball and the guy we didn't sign is winning a cup with someone else.