| Jesper Wallstedt | |||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) Wallstedt in 2026 | |||
| Born |
(2002-11-14) 14 November 2002 Västerås, Sweden | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Catches | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams |
Minnesota Wild Luleå HF | ||
| National team |
 Sweden | ||
| NHL draft |
20th overall, 2021 Minnesota Wild | ||
| Playing career | 2020–present | ||
Jesper Wallstedt (born 14 November 2002) is a Swedish professional ice hockey player who is a goaltender for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). Wallstedt was drafted by the Wild in the first round, 20th overall, in the 2021 NHL entry draft. Following a historic streak of shutouts as a rookie, he was nicknamed "the Wall of St. Paul" by the media.[1]
Playing career
Wallstedt played junior ice hockey with his hometown club, Västerås IK, before joining Luleå HF organization for the 2018–19 season. Wallstedt made his Swedish Hockey League (SHL) debut during the 2019–20 SHL season, playing in a game against HV71. He entered in the second period of the game in relief of David Rautio, and allowed one goal as Luleå HF lost 2–1 to HV71.[2]
On 17 May 2022, Wallstedt was signed by the Minnesota Wild to a three-year, entry-level contract.[3]
On 12 November 2022, Wallstedt recorded his first North American win, along with scoring an empty net goal, to secure a 5–2 Iowa Wild win over the Chicago Wolves.[4]
During the 2023–24 season, on 10 January 2024, Wallstedt made his NHL debut in a 7–2 loss to the Dallas Stars, also becoming the youngest goaltender in the Wild's history.[5] Later that season, on 7 April, Wallstedt made his second NHL start and earned his first NHL shutout in a 4–0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.[6]
On 2 December 2025, Wallstedt was named NHL's best rookie for November after he won all six games, also recording a league-best 1.14 goals against average (GAA), .967 save percentage (SV%) and three shutouts during the month.[7]
Following the finish to the 2025–26 season Wallstedt finished sixth in Calder Memorial Trophy voting.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 2017–18 | Västerås IK | J20 | 25 | 15 | 8 | 0 | 1,418 | 54 | 1 | 2.28 | .921 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 183 | 8 | 0 | 2.62 | .922 | ||
| 2018–19 | Luleå HF | J20 | 21 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 1,222 | 54 | 1 | 2.65 | .901 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 180 | 13 | 0 | 4.33 | .870 | ||
| 2019–20 | Luleå HF | J20 | 28 | 16 | 11 | 0 | 1,590 | 67 | 2 | 2.53 | .923 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | Luleå HF | SHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 1 | 0 | 1.55 | .944 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Luleå HF | SHL | 22 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 1,317 | 49 | 2 | 2.23 | .908 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 71 | 4 | 0 | 3.36 | .871 | ||
| 2020–21 | Luleå HF | J20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 1.000 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Luleå HF | SHL | 22 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 1,303 | 43 | 3 | 1.98 | .918 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.000 | ||
| 2021–22 | Luleå HF | J20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 60 | 5 | 0 | 5.00 | .800 | ||
| 2022–23 | Iowa Wild | AHL | 38 | 18 | 15 | 5 | 2,262 | 101 | 1 | 2.68 | .908 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 126 | 7 | 0 | 3.35 | .897 | ||
| 2023–24 | Iowa Wild | AHL | 45 | 22 | 19 | 4 | 2,671 | 120 | 2 | 2.70 | .910 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2023–24 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 179 | 9 | 1 | 3.01 | .897 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | Iowa Wild | AHL | 27 | 9 | 14 | 4 | 1,556 | 93 | 1 | 3.59 | .879 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 117 | 8 | 0 | 4.09 | .843 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2025–26 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 35 | 18 | 9 | 6 | 1,997 | 87 | 4 | 2.61 | .916 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 651 | 30 | 0 | 2.77 | .909 | ||
| SHL totals | 45 | 24 | 19 | 3 | 2,658 | 93 | 5 | 2.10 | .913 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 90 | 4 | 0 | 2.65 | .892 | ||||
| NHL totals | 40 | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2,293 | 104 | 5 | 2.72 | .911 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 651 | 30 | 0 | 2.77 | .909 | ||||
International
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's ice hockey | ||
| Representing Sweden | ||
| World Championships | ||
 | 2024 Czechia | |
| World Junior Championships | ||
| 2022 Canada | |
| World U18 Championships | ||
 | 2019 Sweden | |
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | W | L | T | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Sweden | IH18 |  |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 118 | 6 | 0 | 3.05 | .893 | |
| 2018 | Sweden | U17 |  |
5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 311 | 15 | 0 | 2.90 | .919 | |
| 2019 | Sweden | U18 |  |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 120 | 3 | 0 | 1.50 | .936 | |
| 2019 | Sweden | IH18 | |
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 194 | 8 | 0 | 2.47 | .936 | |
| 2021 | Sweden | WJC | 5th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 99 | 4 | 0 | 2.40 | .923 | |
| 2022 | Sweden | WJC | |
5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 297 | 8 | 0 | 1.62 | .940 | |
| 2023 | Sweden | WC | 6th | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 2 | 1 | 0.67 | .947 | |
| 2026 | Sweden | OG | 7th | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Junior totals | 19 | 10 | 8 | 0 | 1,139 | 44 | 0 | 2.32 | — | ||||
| Senior totals | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 2 | 1 | 0.67 | .947 | ||||
References
- Wallstedt Postgame at Edmonton 12/2 | Minnesota Wild. 3 December 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2026 – via www.nhl.com.
- "Jesper Wallstedt gamelog - SHL.se". Swedish Hockey League. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
- "Wild signs Goaltender Wallstedt to three-year, entry-level contract". Minnesota Wild. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
- O'Leary, Dan (12 November 2022). "Wild goalie prospect scores long-distance goal in AHL game". NHL.com. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- Baird, Taylor (10 January 2024). "Stars ease past Wild, spoil Wallstedt NHL debut". NHL.com. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- Miles, Bruce. "Wallstedt, Kaprizov lift Wild in shutout of Blackhawks". NHL.com. NHL. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
- "Wallstedt named NHL Rookie of the Month for November". NHL.com. 2 December 2025. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or ESPN.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
- Jesper Wallstedt at Milano Cortina 2026
- Jesper Wallstedt at Olympics.com
- Jesper Wallstedt at Olympedia
- Jesper Wallstedt at InterSportStats
- Jesper Wallstedt at Sveriges Olympiska Kommitté (in Swedish) (in English)
- Official website
