NHL betting preview (April 2): Wild vs. Rangers odds
Join Daily Faceoff’s Andy MacNeil as he handicaps Wednesday’s NHL matchup between the Minnesota Wild and New York Rangers.
Wild vs. Rangers Odds
- Minnesota Wild Moneyline: +135
- New York Rangers Moneyline: -160
- Puck Line: Wild +1.5 (-190), Rangers -1.5 (+155)
- Game Total: 5.5 (Over +100, Under -120)
Game odds via Sports Interaction.
Handicapping the Wild (41-34 SU, 37-38 ATS, 32-39-4 O/U)
With four losses in their last five games, the Minnesota Wild have slipped to the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. The Wild are now one point behind the red-hot St. Louis Blues, but fortunately, still six points ahead of the Calgary Flames. Still, this is certainly not where Minnesota thought it would be given that it was leading the Central Division in December.
Injuries have played a huge role in the team’s downfall, and the Wild are still missing key players, but things are heading in the right direction. Star forward Kirill Kaprizov has been practicing with the team, but remains week-to-week. The 33-year-old hasn’t played since Jan. 26. Forward Joel Eriksson Ek has also returned to practice, but like Kaprizov, he is still listed as week-to-week and will not play on the road trip.
It’s not surprising the Wild’s offensive game has taken a big hit as a result of these injuries. Minnesota has been the lowest-scoring team in the league for the last two months, and during that time, the Wild have posted the seventh-worst goal differential (-19). According to Evolving Hockey, Minnesota ranks 25th in expected goals percentage and 31st in shot share at five-on-five since the start of February.
Handicapping the Rangers (35-39 SU, 32-42 ATS, 34-38-2 O/U)
The Rangers playoff push is far from over, but following Montreal’s win over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday, the Rangers are two points back of the Canadiens for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. That said, New York has lost nine of its last 13 games, so its place in the standings is self-inflicted.
New York’s two-day rest advantage versus the Wild could serve them well on Wednesday, though, as home teams that have more rest than their opponents have won nearly 60 percent of the time this season. Additionally, the Rangers have won four of the last five meetings against the Wild, but three of those meetings went to overtime or a shootout. In fact, five of the past 10 meetings between these two clubs have gone to extra time.
Like Minnesota, New York has also struggled at five-on-five, ranking 29th in expected goals percentage since March 1. However, the Rangers have been much better than the Wild offensively. In all situations, New York ranks 12th in goals per 60 minutes since the start of February, but they’ve scored on just 7.1 percent of their power play opportunities over the last month, which ranks as the worst mark in the league during that time.
In other news, 2023 No. 23 pick Gabe Perreault will be make his NHL debut on Wednesday after signing his entry-level contract. The 19-year-old scored 16 goals and 32 assists in 37 games for Boston College this season and also put up three goals and seven assists in seven games at the 2025 World Junior Championship.
Best bet for Wild vs. Rangers
- Ryan Hartman Over 2.5 Shots On Goal (+120) at Sports Interaction
Since returning to the lineup on March 4, Ryan Hartman has led the Wild in shots on goal. Hartman has registered three or more shots on goal in 10 of his last 15 games. New York ranks among the bottom-10 in shots against per 60 minutes this season, and therefore, Hartman is a good bet to register at least three shots at +130 odds.