ST. LOUIS — Filip Gustavsson entered the Minnesota Wild dressing room after Thursday’s morning skate, sat in his stall and turned up the music.
Gustavsson, 25, isn’t always the team’s D.J., but being closest to the stereo, he runs the volume. Because he was one of the last players on the ice for the skate, though, the room was nearly empty. There was no audience.
The Swede served as backup for the third straight game — and very well could again for Saturday’s game against the Blues.
It’s unfamiliar territory for Gustavsson, who is coming off a breakout season in which he ranked second in the NHL in save percentage. This was supposed to be the season he’d further establish himself as a No. 1, the first year of a three-year, $11.25 million extension. But with Gustavsson’s inconsistencies making him harder to trust and the Wild desperate for points, coach John Hynes has stuck with the hot hand in Marc-Andre Fleury, who has won four straight.
Gustavsson gets it, even though his last start was one of his best of the season, a 38-save performance Friday in Colorado.
“This is how it should be,” Gustavsson told The Athletic. “This is a healthy team. You play the goalie that’s hot, and Flower has been good in the last part. That’s how we should do it. Keep playing the guy that’s playing good.
“Maybe I had a good game in Colorado. But Flower had a good game before and then after. As long as the team is winning and is healthy, just roll with it.”
Fleury has gone 9-2-0 in his past 12 games with a 1.94 goals-against average and .926 save percentage. He wasn’t tested a ton in Thursday’s win over the Ducks but made 16 saves in a shutout. It’s been the kind of run that inspires teammates, especially after the future Hall of Famer made it clear before the trade deadline that he wanted to stay with this group and “fight until the end” for a playoff spot.
The Wild entered Friday four points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the second wild card in the Western Conference, and there’s little margin for error the rest of the way. The pace the Golden Knights, Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators are on, Minnesota may be only able to lose a couple of games down the stretch to have a realistic shot.
Hynes has maintained the Wild will need both goalies in the final month. Gustavsson will at least play in one of the back-to-backs Tuesday (Anaheim) and Wednesday (L.A.). But Hynes has made it clear who he trusts more.
And it was telling to hear what Hynes thought it would take for Gustavsson to earn the net back.
“Flower is playing really well,” Hynes said. “He’s been very consistent. He’s in a bit of a zone right now, which I think is important. And with Gus, he had a very good game against Colorado. And I continue to reiterate, I think when you look at the amount of games we have, we’re going to need him to get back in.
“Sometimes when you don’t get in right away, it’s an opportunity to work on some things and practice and fight to get the net back. Make sure you’re clearly pushing to get the net back. It’s not just going to happen and we’re going to rotate goalies. But (Gustavsson) has got to push and continue to battle to get himself in the net — force us to play him. And when he gets in, (he needs) to do the job. I think if he does that, we’ll be in a good situation with both goaltenders.”
On Filip Gustavsson, his erratic season and if it affects his future with the #mnwild heading into this offseason
“I had a few good games, and I had some very bad ones. Coaches and teammates hate that because they don’t know what they get from you.” https://t.co/xwwg22Ecxz
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 10, 2024
Gustavsson himself forecast Hynes’ decision Friday night in Colorado. He was terrific in helping the Wild steal a point in an overtime loss in the second half of a back-to-back against a Cup contender, stopping all 17 shots in the third period. But his strong start was also admittedly maddening.
“I had a few good games and I had some very bad ones,” he said after the game. “Coaches and teammates hate that because they don’t know what they get from you.”
Gustavsson has owned it and vowed to be more consistent. Maybe he just needed a reminder. It was in late January last season when, after another bag skate, Gustavsson walked into the Wild room with goalie coach Frederic Chabot. Fleury was making his third straight start that night too.
Above the door near the entrance to the room was a sign that read: “This is earned. Not given.” Chabot put his arm around Gustavsson, pointed to the sign, and said, “We didn’t just give (the net) to you. We had to give it to you, you were playing so well.”
Gustavsson got the net back down the stretch last season and went on a terrific run, helping lift the Wild into the playoffs and earning a Game 1 start against the Stars. Perhaps this reset can get Gustavsson on track again.
“All you need is someone to believe in you.”
Filip Gustavsson thought this could have been his last year playing in North America. But the riddle-making, disc golf playing, pranking Swede has been a game-changer for #mnwild. Behind the rise of “Gus Bus.” https://t.co/qkx5HJYW44 pic.twitter.com/c4i9wA3yQV— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) April 13, 2023
Gustavsson and Fleury have a great relationship and bond (if you recall, the Swede actually pranked the three-time Cup winner last season). They see this as being partners, not competing for the net. Gustavsson has brought up how the two will talk on the bench during stoppages or intermission, go over video and ask, “What would you do?” Fleury has done a lot for Gustavsson in his young career, specifically by leading by example.
“I’ve always heard that from moving around, I always look like I’m lazy,” Gustavsson said. “Just how my body position is, like I’m not competing enough on the ice. But when you have this guy (Fleury) out there, it feels like he has energy that’s just neverending. He moves everywhere, is competing all the time. It’s really like he’s giving it to me, almost like a virus. He’s doing it, so I have to too. You keep competing. It makes me better, too. That’s very helpful, to see a guy that’s at the end of his career and still having that in him.”
Gustavsson has been outperformed by Fleury, boasting a .900 or lower save percentage in eight of his 10 starts before Friday, with an .880 save percentage and 3.33 goals-against average during that stretch. He has an .894 save percentage in 38 games overall. Hynes has said you need .920 save percentage or better as a team if you want to be successful this time of year.
Friday’s start in Colorado was impressive, but it was just one. Gustavsson knows that. He’s going to support Fleury and the rest of the team until he gets his next chance.
“Of course you want to work hard and compete,” Gustavsson said. “You have to stay ready, because if you get a chance at some point, when Flower maybe is falling off his hot streak, you have to be there to win with the team.”
(Top photo of Marc-Andre Fleury and Filip Gustavsson: Nick Wosika / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)