Edmonton Oilers vs Minnesota Wild Prediction and Props

The Edmonton Oilers and their 27-13-3 record head to the Xcel Energy Center to face the Minnesota Wild sitting at 27-13-4 in what will undeniably be a pivotal Western Conference clash tonight. With the series between these 2 powerhouses tied at 1-1, both teams will look to claim the edge in this matchup and bump up their place in the standings. 

The Oilers are coming into tonight favored with a -205 moneyline, while the Wild are slight underdogs at +170. These odds might be giving a little too much credit to the Oilers as the Wild are a solid team all around, though, they could use some improvements in some areas.

Fortunately for you, we’ve got the best bet, prediction, and even some solid player props you should check out before loading up your bet slip for tonight’s game.

Betting Odds and Game Insights

The Oilers come into this matchup as the favorites, and it’s not hard to see why. Edmonton boasts the league’s 8th-best power-play percentage at 24.3% and ranks 10th in goals scored this season. Their offense is led by 2 of the best players in the NHL — Leon Draisaitl, who has 31 goals and 64 points, and Connor McDavid, who’s chipped in with 42 assists. They’re easily the best line overall.

Minnesota, however, has been scrappy and knows how to pull off wins against good teams. They’ve been solid on the defensive end, led by superstar netminder Filip Gustavsson, who’s among the league’s best with a .917 save percentage and an insane 2.50 GAA. Offensively they’re not doing too bad either with Kirill Kaprizov leading the charge with 23 goals and 50 points. However, his supporting cast hasn’t been as consistent as he’d like, which could be a big concern against a high-powered Edmonton attack.

The biggest insight for the Wild is that they’ve struggled with special teams this season. Their power play is only converting at 18.2%, and their penalty kill unit sits at just 71.6% which makes them one of the worst in the league. This could prove costly against an Oilers team that thrives in those areas. If both teams stay out of the box, then the 5 on 5 matchup is somewhat even and the Wild could pull this one off.

Game Analysis

Both teams have been fairly strong lately. With identical 7-3 records over their last 10 games, both of these teams are coming into tonight with some momentum behind them. However, Edmonton’s recent road dominance and Minnesota’s injury issues we think might just tilt the scales in favor of the Oilers.

The Wild are still without Kirill Kaprizov, who’s sidelined with no set return date though he did skate on his own yesterday but didn’t participate in practice. This leaves a huge gap in their offensive lineup, but they’ve been getting by without him for a few weeks now, so they might’ve found a good adjustment. The big problem for the Wild is that the Oilers are mostly healthy and firing on all cylinders. They might need more than just a simple adjustment to cap off the surging Oilers.

On top of that, the Oilers dominated the Wild in their last meeting in December, winning decisively 7-1. Edmonton’s depth and ability to capitalize on Minnesota’s weaknesses in special teams make them the dominant team heading into this matchup. The Wild have shown quite a bit of resilience, but without Kaprizov and with a struggling PK unit, keeping pace with Edmonton could be a tall order.

We really want to believe in the Wild’s ability to overmatch the Oilers, but there are too many factors holding them back.

Player Prop Bets

Before we jump into the Oilers vs Wild prediction, we wanted to tee up some solid prop bets for you. These are the best ones we’ve seen and we’re pretty sure you can cash in on these ones.

1. Leon Draisaitl Anytime Goal Scorer. Draisaitl has been on a tear and leads the Oilers by a long shot in goals this season. With Minnesota’s penalty kill ranking near the bottom of the NHL, this is a perfect spot for him to find the back of the net at some point during this game, especially on the power play.
2. Connor McDavid Over 1.5 Assists. McDavid has been a playmaking machine. He’s registered 42 assists this season and is not slowing down. We expect him to exploit the Wild’s defensive gaps, especially on the rush or during man advantages. It’s hard to put together a bet slip without a McDavid prop in some form.
3. Filip Gustavsson Over 29.5 Saves. Even if the Wild lose, Gustavsson is likely to face a huge barrage of shots. Edmonton averages 33 shots per game, and with Minnesota’s defense shorthanded, Gustavsson could easily clear this mark. The volume is there and he’s good enough to shut at least 30 of them down.

Prediction and Best Bet

Edmonton’s explosive offense and dominant special teams will likely overwhelm the shorthanded Wild. The Oilers have too many weapons which gives them tons of options. Without Kaprizov, Minnesota just doesn’t have the firepower to keep up.

The Oilers’ ability to consistently find the back of the net makes them a strong pick to cover the spread. Their power play unit alone should give them multiple scoring chances, while the Wild’s limited offensive options will struggle against Edmonton’s improving defense. As we mentioned, we want to see the Wild come out strong, but this isn’t their night.

• Best Bet: Oilers -1.5 (+125)
• HelloRookie Prediction: Oilers 5, Wild 2

As always, keep an eye on last-minute lineup updates before placing your bets. We’re not seeing Kaprizov take the ice, but then again, weirder things have happened. With Edmonton rolling and the Wild battling key injuries, this game is set for the Oilers to seize control of the season series.

Of course, shop the odds on these bets and props and head over to your favorite sports betting site to load up your bet slip.