ST. PAUL, Minn. – Jesper Wallstedt peered across the locker room with a glance of satisfaction on his face.
He was chatting with Wild reporters in particular person for mainly the primary time since conducting a Zoom from his residence in Sweden after the workforce drafted him within the first spherical 14 months earlier. He had simply gained his first profession NHL exhibition sport, courtesy of a Ryan Hartman additional time winner, and he was soaking all of it in.
When a reporter requested how his final identify ought to be pronounced, Wallstedt, smiling, stated, “In Swedish, it’s VALL-STEDT, however you may pronounce it any means you need.”
Wallstedt may very well be referred to as “Joe Schmo” at this level, and he wouldn’t care one iota. He’s overjoyed by the truth that he’s right here in Minnesota and starting the method towards at some point making his NHL desires come true.
Vallstedt, Wallstedt … no matter. The 19-year-old goaltender solely cares about making a very good impression on the Wild brass and the group’s rabid fanbase, who couldn’t be extra enthusiastic about his future, earlier than he finally is assigned to Iowa to start his North American professional profession within the subsequent week or so.
Wallstedt tries not to concentrate to social media, however he admitted it’s “exhausting to overlook” how excited Wild followers are for his eventual arrival. Courting to the earliest years of the group, the Wild have been blessed with good goaltending, largely due to a defensive-minded system stemming from the Jacques Lemaire days.
