Wild's 5 burning playoff questions vs. Stars
Source: nytimes.com
TL;DR
- The Minnesota Wild prepare for playoffs as No. 3 seed in Central Division, likely facing Dallas Stars first round.
- Goaltending duo Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt leads league with .906 save percentage; Gustavsson expected to start Game 1.
- Coach John Hynes tweaks defense pairings and bottom-six forwards while chasing home ice in final five games.
The story at a glance
The Minnesota Wild have locked the No. 3 spot in the Central Division and focus on lineup tweaks ahead of a probable first-round series against the Dallas Stars. Reporters Joe Smith and Michael Russo outline five burning questions on goaltending, defense pairings with Quinn Hughes, bottom-six forwards, splitting Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, and pursuing home ice. This comes with five regular-season games left, including a key matchup Thursday against Dallas.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7173619/2026/04/06/wild-playoffs-burning-questions-stars/?source=emp_shared_article)[[2]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7173619/2026/04/06/wild-playoffs-burning-questions-stars)
Key points
- Wild goaltending ranks fourth in goals-against average (2.83) and first in save percentage (.906); Gustavsson (2.56 GAA, .909 SV%) likely starts over Wallstedt (2.67 GAA, .913 SV%) due to playoff experience.
- Quinn Hughes pairs best metrics with Brock Faber (54.15 Corsi-for%), but coach eyes Jonas Brodin-Jared Spurgeon as shutdown duo; Brodin-Spurgeon allowed just four inner-slot shots in recent minutes.
- Bottom-six fluid after trades for Michael McCarron, Bobby Brink, Nick Foligno; Danila Yurov adds speed but weak faceoffs (39.1%); Nico Sturm, Robby Fabbri likely scratched.
- Kaprizov and Boldy split this year after last playoffs' slow finish; current lines feature Ryan Hartman with Kaprizov-Mats Zuccarello, Joel Eriksson Ek with Boldy-Marcus Johansson.
- Two points behind Stars for home ice; Wild strong at home historically (26-15-5 regular season vs. Dallas) but may rest stars like Kaprizov, Boldy, Hughes.
Details and context
Wild added depth at deadline and used strict goalie rotation all season, fueling their strong defensive stats. Injuries hit Zach Bogosian; college free agent could debut but ineligible for playoffs; Charlie Stramel out with ankle issue.
Lineup experiments continue: possible third lines like Vladimir Tarasenko-Yurov-Brink; fourth with Marcus Foligno-McCarron-Yakov Trenin (390 hits). Tarasenko has 22 goals this year.
Wild went 2-1 vs. Stars this season, both wins at home; they struggle in Dallas (13-26-8 regular season). Coach Hynes stresses playing simple without over-stressing home ice chase.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7173619/2026/04/06/wild-playoffs-burning-questions-stars/?source=emp_shared_article)
Key quotes
- Jesper Wallstedt: “It’s hard... I’ve never been in the Stanley Cup playoffs.”[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7173619/2026/04/06/wild-playoffs-burning-questions-stars/?source=emp_shared_article)
- Matt Boldy: “It’s just playing simple... stuff opens up.”[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7173619/2026/04/06/wild-playoffs-burning-questions-stars/?source=emp_shared_article)
Why it matters
A deep playoff run ends Wild's first-round exits since 2015 and tests new additions like Quinn Hughes against Central rivals. Fans and roster see home ice and lineup fits as edges in grueling Stars series; depth helps manage injuries. Watch final games and Hynes' Game 1 choices, as rotations could shift based on early results.