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  • An Apology Letter to Jesper Wallstedt

    Image courtesy of Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
    Mikki Tuohy

    By Mikki Tuohy -

     

    Hey there! I can imagine how you might feel after that game in Dallas, so I wanted to make sure that you know just how beloved you already are in Minnesota.

    The State of Hockey watched your first game, and we wanted to let you know that we don’t blame you for the lopsided score. You were put in a tough situation, what with all of the injuries and stuff. You did the best you could, and Minnesota is proud of you. No one is blaming you.

    As a young goalie, you have a long career ahead of you. That game will be a blip on the radar, a funny story about what a terrible introduction to the league that was. Fans will look back and laugh with you because it’ll be such a contrast between that and all of the wins that you will pile up.

    Minnesota is also proud of all that you’ve been accomplishing in Iowa. The second year of being named an AHL All-Star? That’s incredible! And you were AHL player of the week twice. Up here in Minnesota, we’re all paying attention to what’s happening in Des Moines. And it’s not just you. Minnesota loves to watch prospects develop. As the State of Hockey, we know what it takes to get all the way to the NHL. And we respect anyone who can do that.

    Hockey fans have been waiting a long time for you to make your NHL debut. In fact, some fans have gone as far as wanting to call you up from Iowa a long time ago, but it’s good that you’re okay to overbake. We all know that goalies are a different sort of human being, and it takes longer for them to develop than other positions. 

    I take some solace in knowing you’re aware of Minnesota’s hockey history with Dallas. You watched the playoff series last year and the home game against them. It wasn’t a surprise. You were as prepared as you could be. 

    I hope you get to play at the Xcel Center soon because while you like to be the villain, you’ll never hear cheers as loud as you will at home. As the official baby goalie, most fans love you like their own son or brother, depending on their age. 

    As you already know, you’re an honorary member of the Wild’s Swedish Mafia. It was great that you got to travel back home to Sweden with the team. I’m sure having so many Swedish teammates is a great way to feel more comfortable! Plus, I’ve heard that the Wild’s locker room is full of support.

    Speaking of support, the State of Hockey is also glad that you get to work with Marc-Andre Fleury. He really is the best of the best. While your goaltending styles may be different, he still has so much knowledge to pass on to you.

    So, put that Dallas game out of your head. It’s behind you. I know you’re a fun guy who likes dancing in the crease and celebrating goalie goals. Don’t lose that part of yourself. 

    To wrap up this apology letter, I just want to stress to you that the State of Hockey has your back. 

    Sincerely,

    Minnesota Wild Fans

    P.S. Could you please apologize to your parents? We really should’ve had a better game for your first in the league. We’re sorry that they had to watch that game. But we’re glad that they made it to North America.

     

    By Mikki Tuohy  

    Think you could write a story like this? Hockey Wilderness wants you to develop your voice, find an audience, and we'll pay you to do it. Just fill out this form.

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    Citizen Strife

    Given last night, none of this was Wallstedt's fault.  The team is playing like garbage (as was a risk going into the season).  Getting spanked by everyone lately is a telltale sign that the waiting game has begun.

    Wallstedt will get plenty of chances with an...ahem "more focused" team around him next year.

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    MacGyver

    Talbot's letter must have got lost in the mail. Being thrown in game six of the playoffs ice cold to save the season and then ridden out of town on the Guerin express is pretty harsh too. Minnesota nice...except goalies! 🤣

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    NC Beach Bum

    write one to Faber too, he is playing real good but the minutes and situations he's being put into are wearing him down I fear. At the end of some of those long shifts he looks absolutely done sometimes....

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    Beast

    What a stupid decision to throw him into a game when we’re playing like one of the worst teams in the NHL.

    Id like to see Guerin make a good decision.  Just one.

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    Sviginak

    When you are young and dumb and full of cum, like Fabes, Gus, Wall, and a few others, that is the world you live in and it is great! No sympathy for the devil, please, they don’t need it and are not asking for it. They are living the dream.

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    Dean

    Management talks about developing prospects the right way and giving them time . So when they throw there stud goalie prospect in that Dallas game to get devoured by our division rival , it shows how clueless management and the coaching staff are . They have no idea what’s going on with the team. They actually thought he would provide a spark to go on playoff run. Have they not been watching the games this season? It was obvious walls was going to get destroyed by the way the team has been playing. So why do that to him? Because this false idea they are a playoff team. They are clueless. Like previous hockey wilderness article. They need a .690 win percentage to maybe make playoffs. That’s not going to happen. Walls may have been ready for nhl but the team wasn’t ready for him.  They embarrassed our future for no reason. 
         The wild used to play respectable hockey all season long and then embarrass themselves in playoffs.  Now they just embarrass themselves all season long. . They are the laughing stock of the central. Full of themselves and can’t play hockey. 

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    B1GKappa97
    16 hours ago, Beast said:

    What a stupid decision to throw him into a game when we’re playing like one of the worst teams in the NHL.

    Id like to see Guerin make a good decision.  Just one.

    Who else were they gonna put in there? You want them to ride MAF every game?

    Kid's gotta learn what its like to play in the NHL at some point. 

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    B1GKappa97

    He doesn't need an apology. Now he knows what its going to take to play as a starting goal tender in the NHL. Against one of the best teams. We do want him to be able to do that, right?

    You want a measuring stick game? Here it was. He came up well short. What good does it do to wait to play him against bad teams? How's that help him know what it'll take to succeed at this level?

    My guess is that he uses this game as fuel to improve rather than being mentally broken by it. 

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    Smokey
    7 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

    Who else were they gonna put in there? You want them to ride MAF every game?

    Kid's gotta learn what its like to play in the NHL at some point. 

     

    7 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

    Who else were they gonna put in there? You want them to ride MAF every game?

    Kid's gotta learn what its like to play in the NHL at some point. 

    Billy has already explained his decisions and although no one can be perfect Remember when he made the decisions he made with the contract extensions he had put his belief onto them and in my opinion most of are not giving everything they have. Plus we have a 4th line that can will give everything they have and the coach doesn’t give them enough chances + if he did the other lines wouldn’t get too wore out and could give more when really needed in the last 10 minutes if needed + 2 of our regular defenders can no longer play the way the team needs them to!!!!!  Thanks for reading  Smokey

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