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Minnesota heads to Rogers Place to face Edmonton on Saturday, January 31, 2026, with puck drop set for 10:00 PM and ESPN+ carrying the broadcast. The Wild sit at 31-14-10 and have played like a real contender lately, while the Oilers are 28-19-8 and finally stacking wins, even if they’re still making life harder than it needs to be early in games.
This matchup is also a little clean on the narrative side. Minnesota has already beaten Edmonton twice this season, including a 1-0 win in this building back on Dec. 2 and a 5-2 win at home on Dec. 20. Edmonton’s coming in hot with three straight wins and six wins in their last 10, but they also just needed overtime to survive San Jose after spotting them three goals. That’s the tightrope with this team right now.
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Minnesota Wild vs Edmonton Oilers Odds
These are the current betting lines, but bettors should always monitor updated numbers, especially on game day. If you want to track movement and alternate lines, check the latest NHL odds on the ScoresAndStats NHL odds board.
| Team | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Wild | +115 | +1.5 (-217) | O 6.5 |
| Edmonton Oilers | -137 | -1.5 (+177) | U 6.5 |
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Minnesota Wild Betting Form
Minnesota’s profile is steady in a way that bettors tend to appreciate. They’re 5-1-1 in their last seven, and even when the game isn’t pretty, they’ve been finding a way to finish. The 4-1 win over Calgary on Thursday is a good example. Not a masterpiece, but they got goaltending, killed what they had to kill, and cashed in when the moment showed up. That’s how good teams survive the midseason grind.
The big betting hook for Minnesota is that they can win different kinds of games. If it opens up, they have the skill to trade. If it tightens up, they can still sit in structure and wait for mistakes. Kirill Kaprizov has been on a heater again, and the Wild special teams tend to travel well, which matters in Edmonton where penalties can turn into a two-goal swing fast. For recent splits and results in one spot, the Minnesota Wild stats and results page is useful when you’re trying to sanity-check how often they’re actually controlling games versus just winning them.
Injuries are the one part I don’t want to gloss over. Minnesota has been missing blue-line pieces recently, and that can show up in the details, especially defending the slot and cleaning up second chances. It’s worth checking the Minnesota Wild injury report close to puck drop, because one surprise scratch can change how you feel about a total or even a puck line.
Edmonton Oilers Betting Form
Edmonton’s form looks better on the surface, and it is better. Three straight wins is three straight wins. Still, the first-period problem keeps showing up, and that’s not nothing when you’re laying a home price. Against San Jose they were down 3-0, then flipped the switch and basically bullied the game back. It worked, but it’s also not a plan you want to rely on.
From a betting angle, the Oilers are usually about two things: elite finishing talent and game-breaking special teams. Evan Bouchard is driving offense from the back end, and the McDavid-Draisaitl gravity changes how opponents defend, even when they’re not scoring. The issue is that Edmonton can drift into loose hockey, and when they do, totals get messy and favorites get volatile. I also think the goalie piece matters a lot here. Connor Ingram played Thursday, but Edmonton has been juggling options. If you’re betting this early, you’re basically betting without full information unless you’re willing to accept that variance.
The other thing is availability. Edmonton has dealt with lineup holes, and even one missing middle-six forward can change how often they get stuck defending. Before you lock anything in, monitor the Edmonton Oilers injury report and use the Edmonton Oilers schedule and stats page to see how often they’ve actually been separating at home versus just surviving.
Minnesota Wild vs Edmonton Oilers Matchup Breakdown
This game comes down to whether Minnesota can keep Edmonton out of the special teams fast lane. The Wild are disciplined and structured enough to do it, and that’s a big reason they’ve already taken two wins in the season series. If Edmonton is forced to score five-on-five through layers, the Oilers can still get there, but the game becomes more coin-flippy, and that’s where plus money on a strong road team starts to look attractive.
At even strength, Minnesota’s advantage is how consistent they are shift to shift. Edmonton’s advantage is that their best players can win a matchup that doesn’t even feel dangerous until it’s in the net. That’s why I keep circling pace. If Minnesota turns this into a patient game with long possessions and fewer track-meet rushes, I like their chances to keep Edmonton from finding that early rhythm. If it turns chaotic, Edmonton can run hot and bury you in five minutes.
A few matchup edges I’m watching:
- Minnesota’s ability to stay out of the box versus Edmonton’s power-play ceiling
- Goaltending confirmation on both sides (this matters more than usual here)
- Edmonton’s start quality, especially the first 10 minutes at home
- Minnesota’s blue-line health and how that affects rebound control
If you’re the type of bettor who likes tightening your process around special teams, goalie variance, and situational spots, the NHL betting guide is worth a skim. And if you want to browse more matchups across the slate before committing to a side, the NHL previews hub makes it easy to compare prices and game scripts.
NHL Lines Before the Puck Drops
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Minnesota Wild vs Edmonton Oilers Predictions and Best Bets
My lean is Minnesota on the moneyline at +115. I’m not pretending Edmonton isn’t dangerous, because they are, but Minnesota has already proven they can play the exact style that frustrates this Oilers team. They don’t have to “out-talent” Edmonton for 60 minutes. They just have to keep the game out of the penalty parade and avoid gifting rush chances off turnovers.
I also like that Minnesota can win without needing to score five. If the Oilers get a normal game, they can still push this into a 4-3 type finish, but Minnesota has shown they’re comfortable winning 2-1 or 3-2 when the game tightens. That’s also why I’m not in love with laying -1.5 with Edmonton at +177. It’s a tempting payout, but it assumes cleaner control than they’ve consistently shown.
On the total, 6.5 feels like the right neighborhood, which is annoying because it’s hard to get cute. If we get confirmation of top goalies and Minnesota’s defense is closer to full strength, I’d lean Under just because the Wild are willing to play slow and the season series has shown they can keep Edmonton from fully exploding. But if Edmonton’s crease is uncertain, or Minnesota’s blue line is patchworked, the Over becomes live fast.
Best Bet: Minnesota Wild moneyline (+115).
NHL Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
One thing I’ve learned the hard way is that single-game reads are nice, but the real edge comes from comparing plays across an entire slate and being picky with price. That’s where ScoresAndStats helps, because you can scan today’s NHL picks and quickly see where multiple analysts are landing, then decide whether the market is giving you anything worth betting.
If you want to take it a step further, the top sports handicappers page and the handicapper leaderboard make it easy to sort by style and results, not just who’s loudest. And if you’re looking for more volume or packaged plays, you can also buy premium access through buy expert picks.
If you’re also thinking longer-term and want futures context alongside nightly betting, the Stanley Cup betting guide is a solid add-on, especially when teams like these are showing you what their playoff “identity” might look like in a real matchup.
