Minnesota Wild place Frederick Gaudreau on long-term injured reserve; recall Jesper Wallstedt for Sweden trip

The Minnesota Wild have announced that forward Frederick Gaudreau has been placed on long-term injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 24.

The move makes him eligible to play Sunday against the Toronto Maple Leafs on the club’s trip to Sweden this coming weekend. The move allows the club to bring a 23rd player on the trip, allowing them to call up goaltender Jesper Wallstedt as the third goalie.

Gaudreau has missed nine games due to injury, with the 30-year-old being limited to six games this year. A solid middle-six forward, Gaudreau had 19 goals and 38 points last year and a career-best 44 the season before – the only two full-time seasons of his NHL career.

Wallstedt was called up for the first time in his NHL career. The 20-year-old is considered to be one of the best goaltending prospects in the world and is riding a four-game win streak with Iowa in the AHL. This marks the first call up of Wallstedt’s NHL career after signing his NHL entry-level contract on May 16, 2022.

Having Wallstedt around for the trip gives the Wild some extra flexibility for their two-game trip in Sweden. A native of Sweden, Wallstedt posted a 3-0-0 record with a .947 save percentage and a shutout in his first World Championship effort.

The Wild will look to turn things around quickly while in the midst of a three-game losing streak. They’re 3-6-1 over the past 10 games and 5-8-2 in 15 total contests, putting them sixth in the Central Division. They’re currently nine points behind the division-leading Dallas Stars but could realistically pass Arizona or St. Louis this week if they manage to sweep the Global Series.