Filip Gustavsson’s place in Minnesota has changed fast, and this season could decide plenty about where he fits next.
The Wild entered last year with Jesper Wallstedt surging into the picture, and the rookie goaltender’s .916 save percentage in the regular season was enough to seize the starting job for the playoff run. That pushed Gustavsson into a different lane, even after he had signed a new deal before the season. Now he’s dealing with even more uncertainty, since he also appears set to miss the start of the season after hip surgery this summer.
That combination makes this a pivotal stretch for Gustavsson, and a trade is one possible outcome. He made comments after being benched in the playoffs that some read as frustration, and whether or not that was the intent, he signed in Minnesota to be a starter. He is a competitive athlete, and he would likely rather be the Wild’s top option in goal.
On paper, that could make him an appealing trade chip. In reality, the hip injury complicates everything.
Other teams would have to absorb the risk of a goalie coming off surgery, and Gustavsson’s contract includes a no-movement clause until it turns into a 15-team no-trade list in the final three years of the deal. The Wild would need the right mix of cap space, goalie need, and a destination Gustavsson would accept.
That’s a tough set of boxes to check.
Because of that, the cleaner path may be patience. Let the season unfold, see how Gustavsson recovers, and reassess from there. If he comes back healthy, that helps both sides.
There’s reason to think a bounce-back is on the table. Gustavsson has already shown he can respond after down years, and his career has followed a familiar pattern: one strong season, a dip, then a comeback.
Last season was not a disaster, but his .903 save percentage marked a clear drop from his .914 in 2024-25. The roughest stretch came late, when he gave up at least four goals in five of his final six starts.
Minnesota also gives him a strong setup to rediscover his game. The organization has invested heavily in its defense, and the Wild have been a solid team-defense club for years. The group in front of him looks like it should again be near the top of the league, which gives Gustavsson a real chance to settle in and rebuild momentum.
If that rebound happens, the Wild suddenly have more doors open. A healthy Gustavsson playing at a high level could become a trade possibility at the deadline if he isn’t getting the starts he wants.
It would also create insurance if Wallstedt hits some bumps. The young goalie has plenty of promise and has already shown he can handle the NHL, but next season will be just his second in the league.
He has never started more than 45 games in a season in any professional league, so there’s still plenty of runway for growing pains. Having Gustavsson available would give Minnesota a valuable fallback, especially with Wallstedt on a team-friendly $2.2 million-per-year bridge deal.
And if Gustavsson gets all the way back to Vezina-trophy-contender form, that could affect Wallstedt’s longer-term future too. That outcome still seems unlikely after Wallstedt’s playoff performance, but the Wild have been open to trading him before, and they are still looking for an impact center.
For Gustavsson, the bottom line is simple: this is a crossroads. Since he arrived in Minnesota, he has either been the unquestioned starter or the goalie being developed for that role.
That’s no longer the case. For the first time, he isn’t the priority in net.
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Quinn Hughes Just Put The Wild In A Tough Spot
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So far, Hughes has had only limited conversations with general manager Bill Guerin, but he expects that to change as training camp gets closer. For Minnesota, the uncertainty is less about whether talks will happen and more about when Hughes chooses to engage in them, since he has stressed that he is focused on what is best for himself and has not shared any financial details from the negotiations. [Read more 🡒]