Jesper Wallstedt Could Be the Answer to the Canadiens’ Long-Term Goaltending Puzzle
If there’s one area the Montreal Canadiens haven’t quite locked down in their rebuild, it’s the crease. While the organization has made meaningful strides across the roster, goaltending remains a lingering question mark - not just for this season, but for the seasons to come.
That’s why the recent report suggesting the Minnesota Wild might be open to moving Jesper Wallstedt should have Kent Hughes’ full attention. Because let’s be clear - opportunities to land a young, NHL-ready, franchise-caliber netminder don’t come around often.
A Rare Talent Possibly on the Move
According to reports, the Wild could consider parting with Wallstedt to address other pressing needs on their roster. And while that might raise eyebrows, it also opens a door for teams like Montreal to pounce.
Wallstedt, just 23 years old, is already showing he belongs in the NHL. He’s posted a 13-5-4 record this season with a 2.66 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage - solid numbers by any standard, but especially impressive considering his age and the workload he’s taken on.
This isn’t a goalie still riding on potential. Wallstedt has made the leap.
He’s calm in the crease, tracks the puck exceptionally well, and doesn’t rely on desperation saves to bail himself out. He plays with the kind of poise you usually see in ten-year veterans.
Minnesota drafted him to be their guy in net, and so far, he’s lived up to that billing. But the Wild are in a tight spot - trying to stay competitive while managing cap constraints and patching up holes elsewhere in the lineup.
With Filip Gustavsson already in the fold, moving Wallstedt could be a way to address other needs. For a team like the Canadiens, that’s the kind of market inefficiency you look to exploit - when one team’s surplus meets another’s long-term need.
Why Wallstedt Makes Sense in Montreal
For the Canadiens, the fit is almost too perfect. Goaltending has been a revolving door in recent years, with flashes of brilliance but little in the way of sustained, long-term stability.
Yes, Jacob Fowler is in the pipeline, and the organization is rightfully high on his potential. But banking on a young goalie to immediately take over the starter’s net is a gamble - one that could stall both the player’s development and the team’s progress.
That’s where Wallstedt comes in. He wouldn’t just fill a need - he’d give Montreal the flexibility to let Fowler develop at his own pace. A Wallstedt-Fowler tandem could evolve into a 1A-1B setup down the line, with both pushing each other and giving the Canadiens a strong foundation in net for years to come.
And from a timeline standpoint, Wallstedt fits like a glove. He’s young enough to grow alongside Montreal’s emerging core - Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, and Juraj Slafkovsky - but experienced enough to offer immediate stability.
That’s a rare combination, especially at a position as volatile as goaltending. Instead of hoping Fowler hits his ceiling right away, the Canadiens could give him time to get there - with Wallstedt providing a safety net.
The Price Tag
Of course, acquiring a goalie like Wallstedt won’t be cheap. Minnesota would be asking for a significant return - and rightfully so.
We’re talking about a 23-year-old who’s already proven he can handle NHL pressure. That kind of asset doesn’t come around often, and when it does, it costs.
The Wild are reportedly looking for help now, which likely means any deal would include an established NHL player, plus a top prospect and a premium draft pick. That’s a steep price, but one that Montreal is uniquely positioned to pay. The Canadiens boast one of the league’s deepest prospect pools, still hold their first-round picks, and have enough roster flexibility to absorb the loss of a quality player without derailing their rebuild.
The comparison to Yaroslav Askarov’s trade to San Jose is natural - he was moved for David Edstrom, Magnus Chrona, and a first-rounder. But there’s a key difference: Askarov had played only three NHL games at the time. Wallstedt is further along in his development, which means the price would almost certainly be higher.
Still, if Hughes believes this team is ready to take the next step, this is the kind of move that signals intent. Wallstedt wouldn’t be a luxury - he’d be a cornerstone. A true franchise goalie, acquired at just the right time.
And in a league where stability in net can be the difference between playoff runs and lottery picks, that kind of move is worth the cost.