The Minnesota Wild (2-3-1) and New York Rangers (3-3-1) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. EDT at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. The game will be broadcast live on NHL Network.
The Rangers are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 5.5 (-115o / -105u). The Rangers are a -135 favorite to win outright, while the Wild are +112 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Wild vs. Rangers predictions and NHL picks.
Wild vs. Rangers Odds, Pick
| Wild Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -245 | 5.5 -115o / -105u | +112 |
| Rangers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +190 | 5.5 -115o / -105u | -135 |
- Wild vs. Rangers Spread: Rangers -1.5 (+190 ), Wild +1.5 (-245)
- Wild vs. Rangers Over/Under: 5.5 (-115o / -105u)
- Wild vs. Rangers Moneyline: Wild +112, Rangers -135
Wild vs. Rangers Preview
It’s only the beginning of the season so I’m willing to give it a month or so. But Minnesota should be much better than what it currently is.
Goaltending has been a major red flag for the Wild to start, which is highly concerning since they just invested $34 million into Filip Gustavsson over five years. For the most part, he has been reliable ever since he arrived in Minnesota though, which is why I’m willing to give him a pass for the three game losing streak he’s under.
You can probably mark up a lot of his struggles due to the team in front of him. At 5-on-5 play, the Wild are ninth-worst in even strength defense (2.85 xGA/60) and third-worst in even strength offense (41.77 xGF%).
Not only that, the Wild have the seventh-worst penalty kill (70.6%) in the first six games, although un surprisingly, they have the top power play, scoring at an outrageous 38.5% pace.
This does seem par for the course though for a John Hynes-coached team. Minnesota was dynamic offensively last season mostly due to its high-end playmakers (even though Kirill Kaprizov was out for half the season), but in traditional Hynes fashion, the Wild were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
The Wild are a well-put together team, but I’m very bearish on who’s calling the shots behind the bench.
New York, on the other hand, is in such a weird position.
It’s won three games, all of them being on the road, and have been getting smoked at home for whatever reason.
Offensively, the Rangers have looked solid 5-on-5, playing to a fourth best 58.01 xGF% and defensively they’re second with a 2.08 xGA/60. And they’re certainly not losing because Igor Shesterkin has played poorly. He’s been elite with a .962 SV% and a league leading 8.1 GSAx.
But to add, the penalty kill has been fantastic, so something clearly isn’t working in Mike Sullivan's first season behind the bench. It is early though, but it’s something to keep an eye on.
We’re not seeing a big jump from former 2020 number-one overall pick Alexis Lafreniere, as he’s only registered two points to start. I was also blown away to see J.T. Miller was named the captain of the team after seeing what had happened between him and Elias Pettersson in Vancouver.
Not only that, the feeling is that Artemi Panarin’s time on Broadway may be nearing an end after he vehemently declined New York’s contract extension offer.
Wild vs. Rangers Prediction
I think tonight’s the night where the Rangers get the monkey off their back at home.
Every part of their game has been infinitely better than what their home record suggests. Not just that, Sullivan is one of the best coaches in the game, and I trust him infinitely more than Hynes.
For Minnesota, beyond Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, there’s been a red-light drought, and if it’s playing against one of the best goaltenders in the game today, it’ll be hard to back.
New York is a decently-sized favorite here, but I’m not so sure if I trust taking the total either way, and the talent discrepancy is too thin to play the puck line.
Take the Blue Shirts to nab their first win at home.
Pick: Rangers Moneyline (-135)
