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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.

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World Juniors: It was unofficial, but these Minnesotans were USA’s first

Cole Reschny just finished his press conference Saturday at the World Junior Championship and began walking back to Canada’s locker room.

He paused at a television in the hallway between Mariucci Arena and Ridder Arena to glance at the USA-Switzerland game.

Right at that moment, Will Zellers sniped the corner of the net from a bad angle for his third goal of the tournament.

“Not surprised,” said Reschny, who is playing for Team Canada.

Through the first two days of the World Juniors, UND’s players — current and future — have made their marks.

Zellers is the tournament’s leading goal-scorer with three goals in two games. He’s second in points.

Reschny has a goal and an assist for Canada, while winning 69% of his faceoffs. Only four Canadians have more points than Reschny right now.

One of those players is Canadian defenseman Ethan MacKenzie, who will be in Grand Forks next year. MacKenzie has three points for Canada. He’s second in the World Juniors in defenseman scoring.

Zellers has scored the game-winning goal in both of Team USA’s victories.

MacKenzie scored Canada’s game-winning goal against Czechia, and Reschny’s goal was two minutes from being Canada’s winner on Saturday.

“Right now, I’m loving it, because I don’t have to play him right now,” Zellers said of Reschny’s success. “I love Cole. He’s such a pro player, such a good 200-foot game. It’s always nice seeing North Dakota guys get rewarded like that.”

UND defenseman E.J. Emery was scratched in the opener, but entered the lineup Saturday against Switzerland.

After star USA defenseman Cole Hutson of Boston University left with an injury, Emery’s shifts increased. He helped shore up USA’s defense, which allowed three goals to Germany on Friday.

The Americans beat the Swiss 2-1.

“I’m so happy,” Zellers said of Emery’s game against the Swiss. “He’s one of my closest friends at North Dakota. It’s always nice to see a North Dakota player go out there and make an impact on the game like he does. He’s such a heavy presence on the defensive end. He’s such a good killer. It’s always nice to have him and that reassurance.”

UND goalie commit Caleb Heil earned a victory in Team USA’s opener against Germany. UND’s other representative at the World Juniors, Canadian defenseman Keaton Verhoeff, has yet to play.

The Canadians play Denmark at 7:30 p.m. Monday in Minneapolis’ 3M Arena at Mariucci.

The Americans play Slovakia at 5 p.m. Monday in St. Paul’s Grand Casino Arena — a place where Zellers has thrived this season.

Zellers did not play at the rink in high school, but he’s played three games there this season. He scored his first collegiate goal against St. Thomas in Grand Casino Arena in October. He scored twice against Germany on Friday and once against Switzerland on Saturday.

“It’s been a lot of fun playing here against St. Thomas and now at the World Juniors,” Zellers said. “I’m a fan of this barn.”

Canada’s Cole Reschny (21) celevbrates in front of Latvia goaltender Nils Maurins (30) after Canada defeated Latvia in overtime of an IIHF World Junior Championship hockey game in Minneapolis on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)

World Junior Hockey Championship games scheduled for Sunday will proceed as scheduled today, the organizaing committee announced this afternoon.

Sweden will face Switzerland at 1 p.m. at Grand Casino Arena, and Finland will take on Latvia at 3:30 p.m. at 3M Arena at Mariucci, despite today’s weather advisories, in the third day of preliminary round competition.

However, the outdoor portion of the Bold North Breakaway Fan Festival in St. Paul’s Rice Park will close at 1:30 p.m. today. Regularly scheduled hours will resume on Monday.

The indoor fan festival will continue as scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the upper level of the Saint Paul RiverCentre.

NONPROFITS

Liliana Letran-Garcia

CLUES, Comunidades Latinas Unidas en Servicio, a Latino-led community and labor organization, announced the appointment of Liliana Letran-Garcia as president and chief executive officer, effective Feb. 2. Letran-Garcia most recently has served as CEO of Interfaith Action of Greater Saint Paul; she returns to CLUES after serving as its vice president of programs from 2018-2023. … CommunityGiving, a St. Cloud-based consortium of Central Minnesota-based philanthropic and community fund-raising organizations, announced it has named James Ringwald as chief financial officer, effective Nov. 18. Ringwald succeeds Elise Wiener, who will retire on Dec. 31. Ringwald most recently served as director at Marshall & Stevens, Mendota Heights.

ADVERTISING/PUBLIC RELATIONS

Minneapolis-based Betty, a Quad agency, announced it has been named the creative agency for national consumer adhesive brand Gorilla Glue; the award followed a competitive review.

ARCHITECTURE/ENGINEERING

WSB, a Golden Valley-based consulting and engineering firm, announced the promotion of Craig Alberg to vice president of contract administration. Alberg previously served as the firm’s director of contract administration for the Metro Region.

DESIGN

Max Allers, creative director at Max Marketing Communications, St. Paul, announced that he has received an 18th national GDUSA American Graphic Design Award for Print Design, Advertising Design and for Website / Digital Design from Graphic Design USA.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Piper Sandler Cos., a Minneapolis-based national investment bank, announced the launch of private markets trading under the direction of managing directors Patrick Gordon, Kyle Mooney and David Ilishah, all new hires. All three join Piper Sandler from Forge Global.

HONORS

The Dakota County Regional Chamber of Commerce announced its 2025 Business Excellence Awards: Legacy Award winner: Dan Sjolseth, Superior Collision & Automotive; Emerging Leader of the Year: Colleena Carlisle, Dakota Woodlands; Large Business of the Year: Flint Hills Resources; Mid-Size Business of the Year: Lakeview Bank; Small Business of the Year: Minnesota Behavioral Specialists; Nonprofit of the Year: Rosemount Beyond the Yellow Ribbon. … Accounting firm EY announced the following Minnesota recipients of its Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 National Awards: Charlie Youakim, CEO and co-founder of Sezzle, Minneapolis, National Award winner in the Financial Services and Fintech category; National Finalist, Family Business: Sarah Barrett Reiner and Tom Barrett, Barrett Petfood, Brainerd; National Finalist, Health and Life Sciences: Mike Blue, HistoSonics, Plymouth.

LAW

Fredrikson, Minneapolis, announced that attorney Ethan C. Wold has joined the firm’s Health Law and Life Sciences groups. Prior to joining Fredrikson, Wold served as a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps. … Spencer Fane announced the addition of Katherine Cochran to the firm’s Minneapolis office as an associate in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice group. Cochran has served as a volunteer attorney for the Innocence Project of Minnesota, the Minnesota Justice Foundation and WomenVenture. She previously served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Nicole J. Starr of the Ramsey County District Court in St. Paul.

MEDIA

Minnesota Public Radio News announced the appointments of Darius Walker as managing editor, and Curtis Gilbert as deputy managing editor of investigations, starting their new roles on Jan. 5 and Dec. 28, respectively. Walker previously served as senior vice president and senior executive producer of CBS News Digital. Gilbert has been a reporter, producer and editor for MPR News for more than two decades. Minnesota Public Radio is based in St. Paul.

ORGANIZATIONS

The Minnesota Business Partnership, a consortium of executives representing the state’s largest employers focused on quality of life as an economic issue,
announced the appointment of Erika Nelson as chief of staff. Nelson most recently served as state director for U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.

SERVICES

Fastenal Co., a Winona, Minn.-based tool and parts supplier to industry, announced that President and Chief Sales Officer Jeffery M. Watts will be promoted to CEO effective July 16, 2026, succeeding Daniel L. Florness. Florness, who joined Fastenal in 1996 and became CEO in 2016, plans to serve as a strategic adviser to Watts until early 2028.

SPONSORSHIPS

UNRL, a St. Paul-based athletic apparel brand, announced it has signed on as a Platinum Partner of the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, taking place in Minnesota in 2026.

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EMAIL ITEMS to businessnews@pioneerpress.com.