Minnesota Wild rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstedt made 33 saves for his fourth shutout in six starts, leading his team to a 1-0 victory against the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday. The 23-year-old has been named the NHL Rookie of the Month for November after going 6-0-0 with a 1.14 goals-against average and .967 save percentage. Wallstedt's strong play has contributed to the Wild's 10-0-2 record in their past 12 games.
Jesper Wallstedt is playing the best hockey of his career for the Minnesota Wild, making it look effortless with four shutouts in his past six starts. On Tuesday at Rogers Place, the 23-year-old rookie stopped all 33 shots he faced in a 1-0 win against the Edmonton Oilers, improving his season record to 8-0-2 with a 1.74 goals-against average and .944 save percentage.
Wallstedt, selected by Minnesota with the No. 20 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, has five shutouts in 15 NHL games over three seasons, the second-fastest mark behind Frank Brimsek's five in nine starts in 1938. Before the game, he was honored as the NHL Rookie of the Month for November, where he posted a league-best 1.14 GAA, .967 save percentage and three shutouts in 6-0-0.
"It’s been so much fun to the start of the year," Wallstedt said. "I know what it’s like to not have so much fun, so I appreciate every day that is and I’m having a lot of fun right now."
The Wild, now 15-7-5 and third in the Central Division, have gone 10-0-2 in their last 12 games. Wallstedt credits his teammates and a calm approach for his success. "I’ve never played like this before, I don’t think," he said. "I just can’t thank my teammates enough. Nothing would be possible without them."
Wild coach John Hynes praised Wallstedt's growth after a challenging previous season in the American Hockey League, where he went 9-14-4 with a 3.59 GAA and .879 save percentage amid injuries. "He had a tough year last year and he didn’t handle the situation the right way, but he took the action steps and learned lessons from that," Hynes said.
Defenseman Jonas Brodin added, "He’s just has confidence. He’s a calm, confident guy and it feels good to have him back there. All the saves look kind of easy; even if it’s really hard, he makes it look easy for him."
Wallstedt's form has positioned him as a candidate for Sweden's roster at the 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milano Cortina.