Wild coach John Hynes reveals how much longer Filip Gustavsson will be out

The Minnesota Wild are off to a terrific start in 2026-27, going 6-2-1 and sitting in second place in the Central Division. Jesper Wallstedt has been a catalyst, starting eight of nine games and posting a sparkling 1.99 goals-against average and .922 save percentage.

The 23-year-old is the goalie of the future in Saint Paul, although he should form one of the NHL's better tandems alongside Filip Gustavsson when his countryman returns.

Gustavsson continues to recover from offseason hip surgery , and head coach John Hynes told reporters Sunday, including Jess Myers of the Pioneer Press, that the netminder remains at least another month away .

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"Quite a ways," Hynes said when asked how far away a potential return might be.

Gustavsson has begun skating on his own, providing an encouraging step in his recovery, but he has yet to rejoin team practices.

Wild general manager Bill Guerin signed Calvin Pickard over the summer as insurance. The veteran backup allowed five goals on 25 shots in his lone start of the campaign, a 5-2 defeat against the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 13.

"I thought he battled hard. He made some big saves for us," Hynes said of Pickard's performance. "He hadn't played in a while, so I thought he looked sharp. He came in, and I felt like we could have been a little bit better in front of him in the second and third period."

Gustavsson signed a five-year, $34 million contract extension with Minnesota last year before going 28-15-6 in 2025-26. His struggles late in the regular season opened the door for Wallstedt, who ended up playing 10 of the team's 11 games in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The 28-year-old remains a capable No. 1 option, although Wallstedt appears to have taken the lead in Minnesota's crease. His excellent start this season has only strengthened that position.

Wallstedt will become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights next summer and could command a significant raise from his current $2.2 million average annual value.

When Gustavsson is ready to return, Guerin will have a decision to make. Pickard could be waived or traded, although keeping three goaltenders on the roster remains an option.

For now, Minnesota will continue leaning heavily on Wallstedt as it waits to reunite a tandem capable of helping the Wild compete for a Stanley Cup in 2027.