Jesper Wallstedt is Wild’s man who doesn’t know too much

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At nearly every level of hockey, the puck is the same size, and the net is the same size, meaning that a goaltender’s job isn’t all that different from squirts to the NHL.

Minnesota Wild goalie Jesper Wallstedt (30) photographed at Wild Media Day at TRIA Rink in downtown St. Paul on Wednesday, Sept., 20 2023. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Still, pro goalies like Wild rookie Jesper Wallstedt have myriad resources at their disposal in terms of video and other scouting reports to help them learn opponents’ tendencies. After besting the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday for the second time this season, Wallstedt said the resources are nice, but sometimes you’re better off not knowing too much.

Asked how much he had scouted the Jets’ dangerous top line, Wallstedt had a bit of an unexpected reply.

“Maybe a little bit, but not as much as some think,” Wallstadt said after earning his 11th win of the season. “I like going out there with a clean slate and not knowing, really — just play off my reads and try to make saves according to that.”

Describing his goaltending style, Wallstedt made it sound as if he had taken the catcher’s advice from the movie “Bull Durham” to heart: “Don’t think, it can only hurt the ballclub.”

“I think sometimes when I don’t think too much and know too much, I usually make better reads than if I’m trying to predict stuff,” he said.

Wallstedt lost to Winnipeg in one of his rare starts last season. This time around he has a shutout and an overtime win in Winnipeg on his resume.

“I remember last year, I lost a big game to them. And this year it’s been better, at least,” Wallstedt said after making 23 saves to beat the Jets. “Maybe I work through traffic. They get a lot of pucks to the net with tips and screens, but I felt like this year I’ve been doing a good job with that. Maybe there’s something in that.”

It appears so. After Saturday’s win, Wallstedt (11-2-2) was tied for third in the NHL in goals-against average (2.16) and No. 1 in save percentage at .933.

Minor moves

After the blockbuster trade for Quinn Hughes this month, many have speculated the Wild are not done making moves, that a trade for a forward may still be coming.

On Sunday the Wild made a move for a forward, but it won’t affect the NHL club just yet. Minnesota sent forward Mikey Milne to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for forward Boris Katchouk, who will report to the Iowa Wild.

Katchouk, 27, has skated in three games with Tampa Bay this season and has 10 points (4-6–10) in 21 games with the Lightning’s AHL affiliate. A native of Vancouver, Katchouk has 36 points (15-21–36) 179 career NHL games with Tampa Bay, Chicago and Ottawa.

Milne, 23, made his NHL debut with the Wild last season, getting in one game at the big-league level.

The Wild also reassigned defenseman David Jiricek to Iowa on Sunday. Jiricek has played in 18 games for Minnesota this season without recording a point.