After spending the first five-plus years of his North American hockey career stuck in the Ottawa Senators’ minor league system, Filip Gustavsson admits that the idea of returning to his native Sweden and finishing out his playing days back home was a consideration.

A trade to Minnesota in the summer of 2022, and the chance to split the puck-stopping duties with future Hall-of-Famer Marc-Andre Fleury, changed the trajectory of Gustavsson’s career. He enters this season with a firm hold on the No. 1 spot and five-year $34 million contract extension.

Meeting with the media on Monday, following the Wild’s practice at TRIA Rink, Gustavsson, 27, said learning Fleury’s light-hearted approach to the game, and his pesky habit of keeping the puck out of the net, was a game-changer in terms of deal

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