The Florida Panthers (26-20-3) and Minnesota Wild (29-14-9) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 9:00 p.m. EST at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minn. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Wild are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 5.5 (-135o / +114u). The Wild are a -130 favorite to win outright, while the Panthers are +110 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Panthers vs. Wild predictions and NHL picks.
Panthers vs. Wild Odds, Pick
| Panthers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -230 | 5.5 -135o / +114u | +110 |
| Wild Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +190 | 5.5 -135o / +114u | -130 |
- Panthers vs. Wild Spread: Wild -1.5 (+190 ), Panthers +1.5 (-230)
- Panthers vs. Wild Over/Under: 5.5 (-135o / +114u)
- Panthers vs. Wild Moneyline: Panthers +110, Wild -130
Panthers vs. Wild Preview
Florida Panthers
The Panthers welcomed back Matthew Tkachuk this week, with tonight marking his third game since returning from offseason surgery following last season’s Stanley Cup run.
Despite a banged-up roster, Florida has won four of its past six games, including a win over Buffalo — one of the hottest teams in the league since early December. Oddly enough, these two teams are two of only four teams to beat the Sabers since December 9th.
With that said, the Panthers’ season has been inconsistent. The two losses over their last six have been ugly. Getting blown out 9-1 against Carolina and suffering a 4-1 defeat at home to San Jose, highlighted by some glaring defensive issues and an inability to finish scoring chances.
Sergei Bobrovsky has also struggled, posting a -6.5 GSAx over his last 10 games with a tough .875 save percentage on the season.
Currently, Florida sits five points out of a playoff spot and faces an interesting salary cap situation with the mini Olympic trade deadline approaching February 4th.
Minnesota Wild
It’s no secret that the Wild offense has been red-hot since acquiring Quinn Hughes. In the 20 games since his December 14th debut, the Wild are 16-4 to the over, with Hughes tallying 22 assists during that stretch.
Also, Kirill Kaprizov seems to be turning back into his normal self, netting a pair of goals against Detroit on Thursday after a brief five-game drought.
Additionally, Minnesota is getting healthier. Joel Eriksson Ek returned against Detroit, which adds an elite net-front presence back into the lineup and a much-needed edge in the faceoff circle, something the Wild have struggled with, ranking 30th in the league at 46.5%.
Eriksson Ek ranks eighth in the NHL in faceoff wins this season and Marcus Johansson rejoined the lineup on Thursday as well, giving a nice jolt to the second power-play unit.
Not just that, there's a decent chance that we see the return of Matt Boldy tonight, who coach Jon Hynes said responded well in the team's last practice.
In net, after a terrific start to the season, 23-year-old Jesper Wallstedt has cooled off, posting a -5.0 GSAx over his last 10 games, giving up 15 goals in his last three. Despite the slump, he still carries a .914 save percentage on the year.
As of this writing, we're still uncertain if either Wallstedt or Filip Gustavsson gets the nod tonight, though.
Panthers vs. Wild Prediction
This pick is pretty simple. It’s Hockey Day in Minnesota and the numbers back it up.
The Wild have historically thrived on this annual holiday for Minnesotans, going 14-4-1 and outscoring opponents 64-43 since its inaugural year in 2007.
Expect Grand Casino Arena to be rocking, giving Minnesota a strong home-ice advantage.
At this point in the season, the Wild appear to be the sharper team, making them a solid play at -130 on the moneyline.
Happy Hockey Day to all who celebrate. Grab the Wild moneyline.
Pick: Wild Moneyline
