EDMONTON — Jesper Wallstedt feels like he’s living the dream.

And that’s been like a nightmare for some Edmonton Oilers fans.

Wallstedt, the Minnesota Wild’s rookie goalie, is on an incredible run, having won his past seven starts. Just a few days after beating the league’s top team, the Colorado Avalanche, 3-2 in a shootout, Wallstedt shut down Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl & Co., 1-0 on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old has been one of the best goalies in the league, going 8-0-2 with four shutouts in his past six starts.

“I’ve never played like this before, I don’t think,” Wallstedt said. “I just can’t thank my teammates enough around me. Nothing would be possible without them. I’m trying to do my job and making a lot of saves. But I can’t do that without the way we’ve been playing.”

That Wallstedt’s latest heroics — earning the No. 1 star of the game at Rogers Place — was a bit of salt in the wound for the Oilers. The two-time defending Western Conference champions have been looking for stability in net, a true No. 1, for years. And it was Edmonton that just so happened to trade the No. 20 pick to Minnesota in the 2021 NHL Draft, allowing the Wild to move up two spots to select that year’s top-rated European goalie prospect.

That was the second straight year that the Wild’s war room was located in the locker room of their practice facility in St. Paul due to the pandemic. It allowed front-office personnel to talk openly without worry of leaks.

The Wild owned the 22nd and 26th picks in the draft and felt they had to move up if they were going to land Wallstedt. After striking out on three earlier attempts to do so, the Wild weren’t confident they’d get it done when Edmonton came up at No. 20, because they figured the Oilers, too, would be interested in a potential star goalie.

It’s just so Oilers watching a goalie that they could have drafted completely dominate them

— Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) December 3, 2025

Nevertheless, Wild general manager Bill Guerin called Oilers GM Ken Holland and was able to swing the deal, flipping No. 22 and a third-rounder for No. 20.

The Wild were shocked to get the pick, especially because Wallstedt backstopped Sweden to the gold-medal game of the first Hlinka Gretzky Cup against Canada as a double underager two years before his draft year right in Edmonton’s backyard in 2018.

Edmonton took center Xavier Bourgault at No. 22. He has since been traded to the Ottawa Senators and hasn’t played an NHL game. With the third-rounder (No. 90), the Oilers took University of Vermont defenseman Luca Münzenberger. They didn’t sign him, and he’s back playing in Germany.

Wallstedt said he heard after the Detroit Red Wings drafted goalie Sebastian Cossa at No. 15 that the Oilers wouldn’t be interested in drafting him at any point. The book on Wallstedt at the time was that he had poor conditioning habits, a bad attitude and was uncoachable.

“I was 17, 18 years old,” Wallstedt said. “It wasn’t true, but that’s what people thought.”

The Wild didn’t buy into it

“I’m glad they didn’t because I love it here,” Wallstedt said.

Wallstedt said he talked to every team, including the Oilers, before the draft — “a couple more than others.” He talked to the Red Wings the most, having multiple chats with GM Steve Yzerman, who spoke to his family.

Ironically, he said the Wild showed the least interest. Perhaps they were trying to keep it quiet.

“I only had one conversation with the Wild, and it was early,” Wallstedt said. “I think it was September or October, and then I never heard from them again. So I was kinda surprised when the pick happened. I asked after why they didn’t talk to me too much, and they said they didn’t expect me to be there.”

Wallstedt said he finds it funny when he sees Oilers fans on social media bemoaning the team not selecting him, “but it’s not like it matters anymore. I’m very happy where I am.”

And why wouldn’t he be?

Per #NHLStats, Jesper Wallstedt has become first goaltender in more than 61 years and seventh since 1929-30 with five shutouts at the time of his 10th career win. pic.twitter.com/MPEFOlvWe7

— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) December 3, 2025

This run by Wallstedt has been especially gratifying considering the doubt after last season’s low point with AHL Iowa. Wallstedt made a commitment over the summer to work on his game and his conditioning and came to camp with an improved attitude. His practice habits the best they’ve ever been. And now he’s earned an even rotation with Filip Gustavsson, alternating the past 11 starts with his fellow Swede, who entered the season as the clear-cut No. 1.

“You need to have consistency, and each month presents different challenges,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “There’s still a lot of hockey left to be played. What’s encouraging is that he had a good offseason. He made some real commitments to show he wants to be able to get the best out of himself. We know he has NHL talent. But now he’s learning the other parts, whether it was the game or being a starting goalie or how important sometimes some things around the game are — whether it’s nutrition, your rest, recovery. Practice is a big one.

“Let’s keep taking it in short spurts with him, and as long as he continues to do what he’s doing, he’ll get an opportunity to play.”

Wallstedt became the fourth rookie goaltender in NHL history and first in 87 years to record four shutouts in six games. The others are Frank Brimsek (1938-39 Boston Bruins), Dolly Dolson (1928-29 Detroit Cougars) and Tiny Thompson (1928-29 Bruins). What’s struck teammates about Wallstedt during this stretch is how calm he is, both in the style of game he plays in the crease and in his emotions during the most stressful moments.

Captain Jared Spurgeon brought up how Wallstedt talks a lot on the ice, communicating with the defenseman and also offering his insights on the game during trips to the bench. Jonas Brodin said the team feels “safe” with Wallstedt in net, noting he makes even hard saves look easy.

“It’s just the confidence he has is,” defenseman Brock Faber said. “Even when things weren’t going our way and we struggled to start, it just felt like he always was a steady, steady confidence back there. That goes a long way, and I think it’s been so fun to watch, obviously, the way he’s been playing. He’s a huge, huge reason why we’ve put together a pretty good stretch here.”

Veteran center Nico Sturm said the Wild are doing their best to make life easier on Wallstedt in how tight they play defensively and how they box out and block shots. It’s been a good combination.

“It’s a team effort,” Wallstedt said. “The way we’ve been playing right now in our own zone, especially, has been nothing else but spectacular.”

Wallstedt joked after the Oilers game that he has seen and heard “way too much” about the connection with the Oilers at the 2021 NHL Draft, saying it’s brought him no extra motivation.

“I was drafted by Minnesota,” he said. “I play here and I love it here. That’s kind of the end of the conversation.”

Wallstedt is just enjoying the ride until his next start, likely Saturday in Vancouver.

“I just try to live in the moment,” Wallstedt said. “It’s been so much fun at the start of the year. I know what it’s like to not have as much fun. I appreciate every day that is, and I’m having a lot of fun right now.”

and with the 20th pick in the 2021 NHL draft the Minnesota Wild select… pic.twitter.com/V5s2HeAqOe

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) December 3, 2025