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Montreal Canadiens vs Minnesota Wild Picks and Predictions – Monday February 2, 2026
Montreal heads to Grand Casino Arena to face Minnesota on Monday, February 2, 2026, with a 7:30 PM start on ESPN+. This is a legit measuring-stick game between two teams that have played winning hockey most of the season, and the market is treating it that way with Minnesota favored but not priced like a runaway.
The Canadiens are 31-17-7 and sitting near the top of the Atlantic, driven by a top-tier attack that can score in multiple ways. The Wild are 32-14-10 and built to win different styles, including the kind of special-teams and possession game that usually plays well at home.
Minnesota is around -145 on the moneyline with Montreal at +122. The puck line is shaded heavily toward the Canadiens +1.5, and the total is 6.5, which fits two offenses that can trade goals plus a Wild team that’s been living in higher totals lately.
Montreal Canadiens vs Minnesota Wild Odds
These are the current betting lines, but bettors should keep monitoring updated NHL odds as goalie confirmation and late lineup decisions can move the moneyline and the 6.5.
| Team | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal Canadiens | +122 | +1.5 (-205) | 6.5 (O -104 / U -116) |
| Minnesota Wild | -145 | -1.5 (+165) | 6.5 (O -104 / U -116) |
Montreal Canadiens Betting Form
Montreal comes in off a strong 4-2 win over Buffalo, and the offense is the calling card. They can score off the rush, they can score off the cycle, and they’ve been efficient finishing plays, which matters when you’re priced as a road underdog but still have real win equity.
The betting angle with Montreal is whether they can keep the game at their pace. When they’re dictating tempo, they generate enough quality to overcome road matchups. When they’re forced into defending for long stretches, they take penalties and spend too much time trying to survive shifts instead of creating them.
For a deeper look at how they’ve been trending, their Montreal Canadiens stats and results are the best snapshot. They’re missing some pieces up front, so availability is part of the handicap: Montreal Canadiens injury report.
Minnesota Wild Betting Form
Minnesota just hung seven in a 7-3 win over Edmonton, and the takeaway isn’t that you should expect seven again. It’s that the Wild can explode when teams take penalties or lose structure, and they’ve been one of the better special teams teams in the league. That gives them multiple paths to win, which is exactly why they’re favored here.
At home, Minnesota is comfortable controlling games through zone time, faceoff sequences, and a power play that can tilt a tight matchup. They also block shots at a high rate, which matters when the opposing offense is as aggressive as Montreal’s. The Wild can let you shoot from the outside, clear rebounds, and then punish you with transition when you get impatient.
You can follow their recent run and home form on the Minnesota Wild schedule and stats page. The blue line health is worth checking before you bet anything tied to pace or totals: Minnesota Wild injury report.
Montreal Canadiens vs Minnesota Wild Matchup Breakdown
At 5v5, the game usually comes down to who wins the middle of the ice. Montreal wants to attack off movement and quick touches. Minnesota wants to keep layers between the puck and the slot, then turn stops into controlled exits. If the Wild are clean with the puck, they can make Montreal defend more than they want, and that’s when the road dog profile gets uncomfortable.
Special teams matter a lot here. Minnesota’s power play is a real separator, and Montreal’s offense is good enough that the Wild can’t play careless either. If this game turns into a penalty exchange, the total becomes more fragile, and the Wild’s home edge grows because they’re more built to win man-advantage minutes.
Goaltending is the swing layer, and it isn’t confirmed in what you provided. If Minnesota gets its preferred starter and Montreal counters with anything less than top form, it supports the Wild side and makes the Over easier to get to. If Montreal’s goalie stands on his head, that’s how +122 becomes live and why the +1.5 is priced so aggressively.
The schedule and travel angle favors Minnesota. Montreal is crossing time zones into a tough building, and if they start slow, Minnesota can grab early control and force the Canadiens to chase. That type of script also tends to create late empty-net and late-penalty sequences, which can push a 6.5 game toward the number.
Montreal Canadiens vs Minnesota Wild Predictions and Best Bets
My lean is Minnesota moneyline. The Wild have the stronger special teams edge, the home environment, and the more stable defensive structure for a game that could swing on two or three high-leverage minutes.
The total is a real decision point. Both teams have been involved in Overs, and Montreal has the firepower to contribute even as a road team. With 6.5, you’re betting on sustained scoring, not just a 4-2 script. If the whistles show up and the goalies are anything short of excellent, the Over is very live.
If you want to play Montreal, I prefer the +1.5 rather than the moneyline. The Canadiens can score enough to stay within a goal even if Minnesota is controlling territory, and their ability to finish can keep them in games where they’re not winning every matchup.
Best Bet: Minnesota Wild moneyline (-145)
NHL Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
To compare sides and totals across the slate, start with NHL picks and see which favorites are taking real support versus which ones are being faded despite strong records.
For longer-term tracking, the best handicappers page and the leaderboard are the fastest way to identify consistent ROI across volume, not just short-run heaters. If you want to follow a full card, you can also buy picks and line those plays up with matchup research in the NHL previews hub.
If you’re tightening up process on moneylines, puck lines, and totals, the NHL betting guide is a strong reference. For futures timing and bigger-picture price discipline, the Stanley Cup betting guide helps frame when to pay the premium and when to wait for a better number.
