Filip Gustavsson discusses possible contract extension with Wild

The Minnesota Wild can finally turn their attention towards the 2026 summer after locking up top restricted free agent Marco Rossi to a three-year deal . One of their top tasks will be deciding on the future of their crease. Veteran goaltender Filip Gustavsson will play through the final year of his three-year, $11.25M contract next season and be due for a much richer salary next summer. Ahead of returning to Minnesota for training camp, Gustavsson told Michael Russo of The Athletic that he is open to inking a new deal. The netminder said:

"I’ve had the conversations with my agent and all that stuff, and what we’re looking into and what we would like to do… {We} haven’t started actively talking to {Bill Guerin} or anything. When they want to talk, then we talk, and otherwise I have this year left and I’m just gonna play and win."

Early interest in an extension could benefit Gustavsson. He’s set to be backed up by top Wild prospect Jesper Wallstedt for the first time next season, after hockey legend Marc-Andre Fleury announced his retirement last season. Wallstedt was a first-round pick – 20th overall – in the 2021 NHL Draft. He moved to the AHL’s Iowa Wild two seasons later and has served as the team’s de facto starter in the three years since. That tenure started positively, with a .908 save percentage in 38 games of his AHL rookie season. He followed it with a .910 Sv% in 45 games of the 2023-24 season, but soured this year with a bleak .879 Sv% in 27 games, low enough to cede the starter’s chair to Samuel Hlavaj.

Despite the dip, Wallstedt still stands as one of the best goalie prospects in the world and will finally get a chance to show his might at the NHL level next season. He won’t stand much of a chance to overcome Gustavsson, who spent the last three seasons firmly planting his feet in Minnesota’s starter’s crease. After years of fluctuating between NHL and AHL lineups, Gustavsson flourished with a move to Minnesota in 2022. He had a career year in his debut season with the Wild, recording a .931 Sv% and a lofty 22-9-7 record in 39 games.