Wild's goalie for Game 1? The easy choice isn't the right one

A lifetime of conversations with general managers, team presidents, coaches and managers has led to accumulated advice that could benefit anyone facing a difficult decision:

1. Never lie. Lying erodes trust and reputation.

2. Ignore public opinion. It's your job to know more than the public, to be better able to see around corners, so believe in your own information and insights.

3. Never make a decision before you must. Why make an announcement or personnel move that might be made moot or seem misguided in the next 24 hours?

Dean Evason should heed No. 3.

The Wild begin the playoffs on Monday night in Dallas. On Sunday, after practice at Tria Rink, the Wild coach declined to name his Game 1 starting goalie.

Last year, Evason started Marc-Andre Fleury in the first five games of the playoff series against St. Louis, and Cam Talbot in Game 6. The Wild took a two-games-to-one lead, then lost three in a row, allowing five goals in each of the last three games.

Fleury's performance was one of the keys to the series. He was good enough for three games, then awful for two. By the time Talbot entered the net, the Blues were dominating play.

Fleury was playing well toward the end of last year's regular season. Talbot was playing even better, but didn't get to play until Game 6.

If there is a lesson to be learned from last year's disappointment, it's that there is no need for Evason to enter this year's first-round series with a plan.

He has two quality goalies with disparate qualifications.

Fleury is a future Hall of Famer. Wild General Manager Bill Guerin traded for him to win playoff series. It would be painful not to start him in the playoffs.

Filip Gustavsson profiled as a backup NHL goalie — until this season. He has outperformed Fleury in every major category and is, at least for the moment, one of the best-performing goalies in the NHL.

The easy way out is starting Fleury and being ready to sub in Gustavsson if Fleury isn't sharp.

That wouldn't be the right decision — just the easy decision.

Evason should start Gustavsson in Game 1. Gustavsson is playing better, and Fleury's experience advantage is offset by his performance in last year's playoffs. If Gustavsson doesn't respond well to playoff pressure, Fleury will be rested and waiting.

That's the only decision Evason should make at the moment. He doesn't have to commit to one goalie being his starter and the other his backup for the entire series. He can and should make decisions game by game.

"I said it was an easy decision last year, because I thought — we thought — both goaltenders can play," Evason said. "It's the same situation. Both goaltenders have been absolutely fantastic for us this year. Fantastic. So the decision that we're going to make is a difficult decision, but it's an easy decision because they're both extremely great goaltenders that the team has confidence in.

"We've used them both all season. There is no reason why we will not continue to do that. We'll monitor game by game, as we always have."

The second guess I've heard most about last year's Blues series was that Evason waited too long to bench Fleury. That's both accurate and unfair.

Fleury helped the Wild take a lead through three games. The only reasonable second guess is that after Fleury gave up five goals in Game 4, Evason could have tried Talbot.

But Talbot allowed five goals in the series finale, so that view is more convenient than on point.

A more intriguing second guess is that Talbot should have gotten the start in Game 1, considering he was the better goalie down the stretch in the regular season. But Fleury played well in the first three games of the playoffs, so that view is also more convenient than on point.

Sunday afternoon, in the Wild's Tria Rink locker room, Fleury watched water polo on the big-screen TV, while providing commentary and laughing. Gustavsson packed quickly and left the room. Which means … nothing.

Start Gustavsson, Deano. Then take it game by game, or minute by minute.