Wild Fans Have More Reasons to Hope for Postseason Success – The Hockey Writers –

The Minnesota Wild left Dallas with a split 1-1 in the series after winning Game 1 and losing Game 2. Now they’ll be back at home for the next two games, and they’ll try to get their lead back in the series. To many fans it seems like the Wild are following the same pattern as they have in seasons past, however this season has felt different for many involved. 

Over the course of this season, or at least since the Wild made their big trade in December, this team has felt different and acted differently. They still fell back into old habits at times, but their play had been so much better, and they had a lot more confidence. In this article, we’ll look at why fans have more hope for success this postseason and should have more hope starting with their goaltending. 

Wild’s Wallstedt Shines Brightly 

The Wild have had confidence in both of their goaltenders all season, and both Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt pushed each other to be better. They each had some slumps, and unfortunately for Gustavsson, that timing was right before the postseason. He struggled in his final few games, and the Wild decided to put their rookie in the net, and it’s worked. 

Gustavsson is still a perfectly capable goaltender, but in the postseason, they have to go with the hot hand, and that’s Wallstedt. He looked spectacular in Game 1, and although the Wild did lose Game 2, that was on everyone’s shoulders and not just Wallstedt. He still played out of his mind and kept them in the game as much as he could. 

Wild fans have had more hope this postseason so far because the Wild showed they were willing to go with the hotter hand in goal, rather than going the way they used to and sticking with the veteran. Gustavsson is still a strong goaltender, and if they ever need to make a change, they can, but for now, Wallstedt is the guy to stick with, and he’s proving his worth. 

Wild’s Hughes Brings Hope 

One of the best decisions the Wild have made over the seasons happened during this past regular season when general manager Bill Guerin brought in Quinn Hughes. He made an impact almost immediately on both the crowd and his team, who had a new swagger in their step when he came along. 

That swagger has stuck around, and although they’d hit some bumps like every team, they’ve bounced back quicker. He brings energy to their lineup and so much talent that he makes his teammates want to be better, and they try to be. Especially his defensive partner, Brock Faber, who’s been on a whole new level this postseason. 

The Wild fanbase didn’t fully believe that Hughes was coming at first, until he showed up in Minnesota, and it became real. The Wild have had solid players, but never one quite like Hughes, and he’s given them a whole new reason to have hope. Easily the most hope they’ve had in years, and the majority of it is because of him. 

Wild’s Confidence Levels High 

Finally, the Wild have a different level of confidence than they’ve had in the past. In past postseasons, it was almost known the Wild wouldn’t make it out of Round 1, as most know it has become a running joke that they can make it to the postseason but can’t get past the first round. This season, however, feels different, and it’s easy to see the team feels that way, too. 

They’ve been the lower seed before, but they’ve looked like the better team, and they’ve played with that confidence. They’ve shown they aren’t afraid of the Stars, and so far, they haven’t backed down, even when they got behind in Game 2. Although they did go on to lose that game, it wasn’t for lack of effort, which has happened in the past. 

Time will tell with Game 3, but if they truly have this new confidence, they will come out strong in response to how the Stars did in Game 2. They know what to expect now, and they have the ability to be better because they have that confidence, and that is why fans have more hope as well. They see the confidence the team has, and it’s given them hope that the Wild will succeed and get the wins they need to get past the first round and hopefully more.