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Minnesota Wild vs St. Louis Blues Betting Preview
The Minnesota Wild travel to the St. Louis Blues for an early-season Central Division clash on Thursday night at Enterprise Center. Puck drop is set for 8:00 PM ET on ESPN+. Both clubs reached the postseason last year, finishing within a single win of each other, and enter the new campaign trying to refine lineups and build early momentum.
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The Blues are -123 favorites on the moneyline, while the Wild sit at +104. The puck line lists St. Louis +1.5 (+203) and Minnesota -1.5 (-256). The total is 5.5 goals (Over -122 / Under +100).
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Line Movement and Odds
This game opened as a near pick’em before money flowed toward St. Louis, pushing the Blues to -123 favorites. Around 58% of bets and 61% of money are backing the home side. Early totals action has leaned slightly toward the under, as both teams ranked in the league’s middle tier in scoring last season.
Minnesota finished 45-30-7 in 2024-25 and returns its core of Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, while St. Louis (44-30-8) welcomes back Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou atop a balanced lineup.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who can play in different spots,” Blues coach Jim Montgomery said. “The challenge early is finding combinations that click, but the compete level is there.”
Matchup Breakdown
Minnesota Wild Outlook
The Wild open the year looking to end a decade-long streak of first-round playoff exits. Coach John Hynes continues to tinker with line combinations, experimenting with Marcus Foligno on the second line alongside Joel Eriksson Ek and Vladimir Tarasenko while young forwards Danila Yurov and Liam Ohgren gain NHL experience on the fourth line. Star winger Kirill Kaprizov (25 goals in 41 games) returns to full health and should again drive Minnesota’s offense. Goaltender Filip Gustavsson (31 wins, 5 shutouts) provides consistency in net. Defensively, the team awaits the status of Jonas Brodin, who is trending toward an early return from an upper-body injury.
St. Louis Blues Outlook
The Blues are dealing with several early absences but remain a formidable home team. Center Oskar Sundqvist will miss the opener, forcing Nick Bjugstad to shift down to the fourth line, while veteran Milan Lucic continues to recover from a lower-body injury. St. Louis still features a potent top six led by Robert Thomas (81 points) and Jordan Kyrou (36 goals). Rookie Jimmy Snuggerud joins the top line, offering speed and scoring potential. In net, Jordan Binnington (28 wins) returns as the starter. The Blues aim to start strong after falling in the first round to Winnipeg last spring.
Injuries and Conditions
| St. Louis Blues | Minnesota Wild |
|---|---|
| C Oskar Sundqvist – Out (lower body) | F Mats Zuccarello – Out (lower body) |
| LW Milan Lucic – Out (lower body) | D Jonas Brodin – Questionable (upper body) |
| D Torey Krug – LTIR (lower body) | F Liam Ohgren – Probable (rookie debut) |
| F Zach Dean – Out indefinitely | G Filip Gustavsson – Starting |
| St. Louis Blues Injury Report | Minnesota Wild Injury Report |
Weather: Indoors at Enterprise Center — no weather impact.
Best Bets and Prediction
This divisional opener features two evenly matched teams, but the Blues’ home-ice edge and veteran stability make them a slight favorite. Minnesota’s top line should generate chances, yet St. Louis’ depth and structured forecheck could wear them down over 60 minutes. Expect a tight, physical game with limited scoring and strong goaltending from both sides.
Pick: Blues Moneyline (-123)
Projected Final Score: Blues 3, Wild 2
Lean: Under 5.5 (+100)
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| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Best Bet | Blues ML (-123) |
| Confidence Rating | ★★★★☆ |
| Projected Score | Blues 3, Wild 2 |
| Total Lean | Under 5.5 (+100) |
| Market Split | 58% bets St. Louis, 61% money St. Louis |
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