'All The People That Have Doubted Me, This Felt Really Good': Jesper Wallstedt Opens The Season Proving Haters Wrong

October 14, 2025 NHL Hockey News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games Leave a comment

ST. PAUL, Minn - It has been one heck of a journey for goaltender Jesper Wallstedt. It is just one game, but there is no doubt Wallstedt is riding high after the win on Monday.

“It would have been nice if we could have kept it away from shootouts and overtime," Wallstedt said after the game. "But two points on home ice against a (conference) team, we’ll take it.”

Wallstedt, 22, was drafted as a high pick, which is rare for a goalie. He was deemed the goalie of the future when the Wild took him 20th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft.

The Wild liked him so much they made a trade with the Edmonton Oilers just to move up and take him.

But, his journey to professional hockey has not been the smoothest.

As a 19-year-old, Wallstedt had a great first season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Iowa Wild. He went 18-15-5 with a 2.68 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage in 38 games. He was even an all-star.

The next year Wallstedt went 22-19-4 with a 2.70 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. Things were looking up and Wallstedt even made his NHL debut at the age of 20 during the 2023-24 season.

He went 2-1-0 with a 3.01 goals-against average and a .897 save percentage. He even picked up his first career shutout in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks that year.

Jesper Wallstedt becomes youngest goalie in Wild history to record a shutoutIn the Wild's game last night, Jesper Wallstedt became the youngest goalie in Wild history to record a shutout.

The following season was a struggle for Wallstedt. He posted a 3.59 goals-against average and a .879 save percentage in 27 AHL games and went 9-14-5. He was given a mental reset during the season and was even called up to the Wild just to escape the season he was having in the minors.

Wild fans and people were writing the so called "goaltender of the future" off. The Wild continued to believe in him and signed him to a two-year contract extension worth $2.2 million for a goaltender who had only played in five NHL games.

In two NHL games, Wallstedt went 0-2-0 with a 4.09 goals-against average and a .843 save percentage.

Yet through it all, Wallstedt has had a positive attitude about it.

“I think all the experience from last year. I think that comes into play," Wallstedt said after the win on Monday. "I know what it’s like losing. I know what it’s been like to have bounces go against me. I know what it’s like to break down mentally. I’ve done it now. I know what that feeling is like. I know what mindset I should have to find success instead of failure. And I felt like no matter what faced me, no matter what happened, if goals were scored or not, I felt like I always had a clean mindset and focused on the job to win the game.”

Minnesota had a 3-0 lead after two periods of play but surrendered three third period goals to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday and Wallstedt had to be sharp.

When Matt Boldy took a penalty in overtime I think everyone in the arena clenched their teeth. A 4-on-3 power play for the Kings with 1:25 left in overtime is never a good thing. And for a young rookie goaltender, that is not easy.

But, Wallstedt stopped three shots in that span on six attempts. It was desperation mode for the Wild and when Minnesota needed its' goalie of the future the most, he stepped up and delivered.

“I said it out on the ice, as well, I felt we played a really good game defensively. We kept them most of the time on the outside, let me make the first saves and help out on the rebounds," Wallstedt said. "We blocked a lot of shots. I think we did what we needed to do in our own zone in the defensive game to win and then obviously they get some bounces and score some goals, that’s hockey. That’s going to happen. But I really liked our effort and the way our team sacrificed itself.”

Not only did he save the game in overtime, but Wallstedt stopped all four shootout attempts from the Kings and stroked Andrei Kuzmenko to end the game on the last shooter in sudden death.

🗣️ WALLY WALLY WALLY pic.twitter.com/tl7Xk75PfY
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) October 14, 2025

“I had no idea. I like to keep it that way. A clean slate. Just go out, make the read, play off your feet and what you see," Wallstedt said on the shootout. "And then we scored I just thought to myself this is the moment you’ve been dreaming for. You have the chance to win it for your team. Just go out and make the save the same way I’ve been doing it three shots before. Obviously, that happened.”

After the win, Wallstedt let out a big celebration.

“I don’t know. I used to do it in Iowa last year the times we won in the shootout. Just ended up happening out of excitement.”

Jared Spurgeon added: “I actually didn’t see it. I’m pretty short, so I couldn’t see over the guys.”

Jokes aside, it was a huge win for Wallstedt.

“You can see by the way he plays the game, he has a lot of confidence and he made some huge saves," Spurgeon said. "For him to come up big in overtime and the shootout was great to see.”

Kirill Kaprizov added: "Yeah, he does great job, especially on the PK he had so many good saves from the seams. He played so good. We’re happy for him. He’s happy. And yeah, it’s nice."

This was more than a win for Wallstedt. It was a statement for the young goaltender. He feels it was a chance to prove haters wrong. And after a night like that, I think he did.

“Obviously, I wanted to start the season with a win," Wallstedt said. "With everything that’s been talked about and all the people that have doubted me, this felt really good. Just proving that I can do it. I would have loved to have kept it a low-scoring game but it’s hockey. It happens. I felt like I played a well-structured game. I saw pucks. I kept them in front of me. Rebounds were good. And we won the game, which is all I care about.”

Nonetheless, it was a confidence booster for both Wallstedt but for the Wild in general. They now trust the young goaltender. Which is good. It is important to have two good goaltenders and the Wild believe they can have the best goalie tandem in the league.

“It certainly does," Hynes said on if this game gives him confidence and trust in Wallstedt. "He’s building trust and confidence in himself I think by the commitment that he made starting in the summer and coming into training camp and now I thought even his exhibition games I thought he played well and he had some different situations to handle then. No different tonight.”

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