Back in the Win Column & the Rejuvenation of Filip Gustavsson
We analyze the Wild's latest win after dropping two straight and take a deep dive into the re-emergence of Vezina-caliber Gustavsson
Welcome to the THW Minnesota Wild Substack newsletter, with all the latest from our team of Wild writers.
In today’s edition, we examine the Wild’s latest shutout win over the Seattle Kraken after dropping a pair, then take an in-depth look at the statistics behind Gustavsson’s resurgence since he got to play an NHL game in his home country at the Global Series.
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Wild’s Top Lines & Defense Step Up in Win Over Kraken
December 11, 2023 by Mariah Stark (Holland)
The Minnesota Wild were on the final game of their four-game road trip when they took on the Seattle Kraken on Sunday, Dec. 10. They were looking to get back in the win column after a couple of hard losses where they fought well but couldn’t get the win. They found a way to score first again after being down early the previous two games.
They scored their first goal just over seven minutes into the first period and held it throughout the first and second periods. The Kraken had some chances, but Filip Gustavsson stood tall and kept them out. The third period had some opportunities for both sides, but only the Wild found success, not once but twice, as they took the win 3-0 to move to 2-2 on the road trip. One of the reasons the Wild succeeded again was their recently changed top two lines, and that’s where we’ll start this article.
Wild’s Gustavsson Rejuvenated Since Trip Home for Global Series
December 7, 2023 by Tyson McKay
With a new contract in hand, Gustavsson came into this season expected to pick up right where he left off and assume the mantle of starting goaltender. That did not happen. Aside from the very first game of the season where he looked unbeatable, he was one of the worst goalies in the league and suddenly that new three-year contract looked like a big mistake.
Then the Global Series in Sweden happened. Gustavsson’s numbers have been phenomenal lately and a lot of the praise goes to the coaching change that has lit a spark under the rest of the Wild, but I would argue that Gustavsson has been back since he played on Nov. 18 against the Detroit Red Wings in his home country. Let’s take a look at the numbers and see just how drastic the change has been.
