Hlavaj recorded a 28-save shutout in AHL Iowa's 6-0 win over Manitoba on Sunday.
Hlavaj picked up his first shutout of the season and the second of his career. He is now 4-5-1 with a 3.21 GAA and an .884 save percentage over 10 appearances. Hlavaj is battling with Cal Petersen for starts with Iowa, though neither will be able to rely on performance alone to get to the NHL, where the Wild boast a strong goaltending duo in Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt.
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Wild's Samuel Hlavaj: Headed for Worlds
Rotowire
Hlavaj will join Slovakia for the 2025 IIHF World Championship.
Hlavaj outplayed Jesper Wallstedt at the AHL level and is expected to battle Wallstedt for the backup role behind Filip Gustavsson with the Wild in 2025-26 as Marc-Andre Fleury has retired. Hlavaj went 14-14-3 with a 2.85 GAA and a .904 save percentage across 36 regular-season appearances at AHL Iowa in 2024-25 and will gain extra experience with Slovakia and is expected to be their No. 1 goaltender as he will vie with Adam Huska and Patrik Rybar for the top job.
