Wild Goalie Named Team Sweden Starter

Team Sweden will open the 4 Nations Face-Off with a Minnesota Wild goalie as their starter.

Feb 8, 2025; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson (32) tracks the play against the New York Islanders during the first period at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images / Nick Wosika-Imagn Images

The NHL is ready to kick off the 4 Nations Face-Off with a battle between Team Canada and Team Sweden and both sides are going in interesting directions for their starting goalie. While Canada is trotting out Jordan Binnington as their starting netminder, Sweden is looking toward Minnesota Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson as their starter.

Gustavsson has led the Wild with a 22-11-3 record, .915 save percentage, and 2.63 goals against average this season, but he was likely the third-string goalie when Sweden announced their roster. The Swedes also touted Linus Ullmark and Jacob Markstrom as their initial three goalies.

Filip Gustavsson is in the starter's net for Sweden 🇸🇪 ahead of tonight's #4Nations opener against Team Canada at Bell Centre. pic.twitter.com/2LcgUJRhX3

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) February 12, 2025

Injuries to both Ullmark and Markstrom may have given Gustavsson the proper boost needed to take over as the starting goalie. The New Jersey Devils announced that a lower-body injury would keep Markstrom from the tournament, and he was replaced by Philadelphia Flyers netminder Samuel Ersson.

Ullmark returned from a back injury and played a pair of games with the Ottawa Senators before the tournament, but he lost both outings. In losses to the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers, Ullmark allowed seven goals on 84 shots faced.

Making 77 saves in a pair of games against two of the best offenses in the NHL isn’t bad, but it’s possible something is still lingering with Ullmark’s back injury.

Ullmark missed significant time with his injury, and it wasn’t really clear he would be able to represent Sweden until recently.

Gustavsson will have his hands full in the first ever game of the 4 Nations Face-Off, taking on Team Canada in Montreal. Team Canada’s offense is stacked with skill, experience, and determination, and are surely going to give Gustavsson and the Swedes are hard time.

Canada enters the tournament as likely favorites while Sweden will have to fight their way to the top.

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