Edmonton Oilers
Red-Hot Jesper Wallstedt Has Oilers Fans Revisiting Controversial Draft Decision
A red-hot Jesper Wallstedt is sparking outrage in Oil Country as Edmonton Oilers fans revisit a controversial 2021 draft decision.
The recent struggles in Edmonton have sparked all sorts of conversations about the Oilers and their current woes. No topic is more discussed than goaltending, which seems to grow more contentious as the team slips further down the standings during a tough road trip. Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard are a statistical mess, while another team has a star in the making that could have been on Edmonton’s roster.
Hindsight and revisionist history can create fascinating narratives. With Jesper Wallstedt lighting up the NHL right now for the Minnesota Wild, some Oilers fans are having a field day with the fact he could have been an Oiler. Their collective frustration is going viral on social media.
Wallstedt is off to a ridiculous start in his first full rookie season. After another standout performance—42 saves, a new career-high—the Minnesota Wild netminder now sits at 5-0-2 with a 2.20 GAA, a .926 save percentage, and two shutouts. He’s top three in the NHL for save percentage among goalies who have played more than five games, he leads the league shutouts with two, and is top ten in goals-against average. On top of that, he just posted the longest shutout streak by a rookie in Wild history. The “Wall of St. Paul” nickname isn’t just clever… it’s accurate.
Related: Speculation Swirls Again as Coffey’s Name Reenters the Oilers Conversation
So naturally, Oilers fans are looking back at July 23, 2021, when Edmonton traded down instead of drafting Wallstedt. Minnesota snapped him up immediately. Edmonton walked away with Xavier Bourgault and another pick—neither player is with the team anymore.
Fans haven’t forgotten. Comments resurfacing from draft night are brutal:
“You had a franchise goalie right in front of you lol.”
“If they take Wallstedt you guys f—ing failed.”
“How do Oilers fans know more than management any given year?”
Even local voices are piling on. Edmonton Sports Talk’s Dustin Nielson summed it up: “I’ll never not be stunned that the Oilers traded out of the spot to take Wallstedt.”
Imagine An Oilers Team With Wallstedt in the System
And honestly, how could they not be stunned? The Oilers have spent the last several seasons juggling goaltending issues while the Wild roll out Gustavsson and Wallstedt—two young, cost-controlled keepers who look like long-term fixtures. Wallstedt has this and next year on a deal that pays him $2.2 million per season.
In an alternate universe, Stuart Skinner has a safety net. In this one, the Oilers are still searching for answers while the goalie they passed on is thriving. Edmonton argued that forwards develop faster than goalies. Maybe so. But watching Wallstedt dominate right now makes that “development timeline” defense feel thinner by the day.
Next: Maple Leafs Get Worrisome Injury Update on Anthony Stolarz
More News
