Filip Gustavsson Is Playoff Ready

The Minnesota Wild have made it to the third week of March without dropping in the standings. The Wild sit eight points above the Vancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues. And despite winning only five of nine games this month, they are only one point below the Colorado Avalanche, who are third in the Central Division. 

Given Minnesota's growing list of injured players, its recent losses are no surprise. Marco Rossi joined that group after the Seattle Kraken game on Wednesday. Still, the Wild have found ways to win important games.

After an embarrassing 5-1 loss to St. Louis, the Wild have had a noticeable surge in energy. They have won the last two games, beating the Los Angeles Kings 3-1 and shutting out the Seattle Kraken 4-0. While Minnesota’s offense drove winning after the St. Louis game, Filip Gustavsson’s goaltending is responsible for much of their success.

Gustavsson was the starter for Minnesota’s 5-1 loss to St. Louis and its wins over L.A. and Seattle. He picked up his second shutout of the month against Seattle and fifth of the season, tying him for the second most in the league. Gustavsson’s ability to refocus after a loss is a good sign that he will be ready to carry the team through the playoffs.

During his three years with the Wild, Gustavsson hasn’t had any postseason success. He started one game two years ago before missing the playoffs in 2023-24. Still, Gustavsson is stringing together an excellent season. He may no longer be in contention for the Vezina, but he’s been good enough to allow Minnesota to ride out its injuries. 

Going into the playoffs, we will see a Gustavsson we’ve never seen before.  

In a career-high 47 games, Gustavsson has gone 27-15-4 with a 2.51 GAA and a .917 SV%. These are incredible statistics. He may have looked like the league’s best goaltender at one point, but he dropped to 11th in the league in GAA and 6th in SV%. 

Gustavsson played a career-high 45 games in 2023-24 and had a 20-18-4 record, 3.06 GAA, and .899 SV%. He’s built off that this season, playing more than he ever has in the NHL and putting together the best season of his career. He’s putting together a breakout season while facing the fifth-most shots of any goaltender and has still managed the fifth-most saves in the league. 

That’s the type of goalie you want in the playoffs. 

Gustavsson has played well but has been inconsistent this year. At the beginning of the season, Gustavsson took the league by storm, and Minnesota strung together one of the best starts in franchise history. However, the Wild have cooled off since then. They have lost much of their firepower through injuries, and Gustavsson has looked human.

Gustavsson’s ability to bounce back is impressive, making him stand out among Minnesota’s recent goaltenders. A goalie’s ability to move on from past losses and continue to play at an elite level can carry a team through the postseason. Gustavsson has two shutouts and five wins this month, playing with increasing confidence. It also becomes evident when Gustavsson feels good because he has a noticeably calm demeanor and excellent positioning in the net. 

His teammates have noticed his ability to steal games.

“He’s steady,” Ryan Hartman said after the 4-0 shutout. “He doesn’t necessarily have to make too many flashy saves because he’s well-positioned out there. That’s always a good sign of feeling the game.”

Gustavsson is steady, but he can also be flashy. Saves like the one he had against Michael Eyssimont in the Seattle game generate momentum, keep games close, and give the Wild a chance to win. His ability to swing a game's emotions in Minnesota’s favor will be crucial in the playoffs.  

The Wild will likely play the Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, or Edmonton Oilers in the first round. Therefore, it will be essential to have a player who can help push the team to the finish line. Gustavsson is that player, given how he’s playing leading up to the playoffs.