Bardown Beauties: A Minnesota Wild and hockey podcast · SKOR North

#296. Jesper Wallstedt Pushing For Minnesota Wild No. 1?

·29 min·2 clips

Why one host still lacks faith in the Minnesota Wild as a good hockey team despite recent wins.

This episode of Bardown Beauties focuses on the Minnesota Wild's recent performance and the rising goaltender Jesper Wallstedt. Hosts Jesse Pierce and Kirsten Kroll, an in-arena host and an NHL writer, assess the team's current playoff chances. They analyze a stretch of games including a road win against the New York Islanders and a home victory over the Calgary Flames. The team's record is back around .500, though they remain outside a playoff position. Kroll expresses skepticism about the Wild being a definitively good team or making the playoffs. She questions if her own perspective is overly pessimistic, while acknowledging the team is trending positively. A specific point of optimism is the recent play of goaltender Jesper Wallstedt. Kroll states that Wallstedt looked "really, really good" in his latest performance. She directly compares him to fellow goaltender Filip Gustavsson, asserting Wallstedt has looked better. The hosts note the schedule ahead is interesting as the Wild begin another five-game homestand. They reference a prior game against the Carolina Hurricanes as a "weird" and not terrible showing. The central debate revolves around whether recent wins signal a genuine turnaround or are a temporary surge. Kroll positions herself as taking a wait-and-see approach, believing it is still too early for definitive judgment. The discussion uses the team's fluctuating performance to explore broader questions of roster quality. A memorable moment is the direct and favorable comparison of the rookie Wallstedt to the more established Gustavsson. The analysis is grounded in specific recent results rather than abstract season-long trends. The tone is conversational and analytical, blending game recaps with roster evaluation. The style is informal, featuring the hosts' personal opinions and immediate reactions to games. Listeners interested in the Wild's goaltending future and mid-season playoff push will find this episode relevant. Fans seeking deep statistical analysis or interviews may find the discussion too brief and opinion-focused.

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