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The Minnesota Wild head to the Bell Centre to face the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 7:00 PM, with ESPN+ carrying the broadcast. Minnesota is 28-13-9 and sitting 2nd in both the conference and the Central, so this is not a “nice road trip stop” game. They are built to win these.
Montreal is 27-15-7, 4th in the conference and 3rd in the Atlantic, and they have been playing with a little edge lately. They just survived a wild 6-5 game against Ottawa, and while it was messy defensively, it also showed how quickly they can score in bunches at home.
The market has Montreal favored at -147 with Minnesota at +121. The puck line is shaded heavily toward Minnesota +1.5 (-206), and the total is 6.5. With both teams coming off high-scoring games, this one sets up as a game-script bet as much as anything.
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Minnesota Wild vs Montreal Canadiens Odds
These are the current betting lines, but numbers can move quickly leading up to puck drop, so keep an eye on the latest NHL odds before you lock anything in.
| Team | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Wild | +121 | +1.5 (-206) | O 6.5 (-101) |
| Montreal Canadiens | -147 | -1.5 (+166) | U 6.5 (N/A) |
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Minnesota Wild Betting Form
Minnesota is rolling, and the 6-3 win over Toronto is a good snapshot of what makes them dangerous. When a team can get a hat trick from Marcus Foligno and still have Vladimir Tarasenko putting up two goals and an assist, it tells you the scoring is not only coming from the headline names. That matters for betting because it lowers the odds you get “one line shuts down, offense disappears.”
The Wild also have a real defensive ceiling. Seven shutout wins is not luck over a big sample, it is a sign they can tighten the game when they want to. They are also generating enough volume to keep pressure consistent, ranking 7th in shots on goal (1,450). If they get ahead, they are comfortable playing a more controlled, lower-event third period. If they fall behind, they still have the pace and firepower to chase.
Montreal Canadiens Betting Form
Montreal is winning games, but they are not always winning them quietly. That 6-5 result against Ottawa is the perfect example. They can create offense fast, especially with Cole Caufield in form, and their power play can flip momentum in two minutes. That is why they are sitting 4th in goals with 166. If you are betting Montreal, you are betting that scoring profile and the home environment at the Bell Centre.
What I like about Montreal from a matchup standpoint is that they do a lot of the hard stuff too. They rank 2nd in blocks (820), and they play with enough physicality (1,068 hits, 8th) that games do not feel soft against them. Sometimes you see high-scoring teams that get pushed around when the game gets tighter. Montreal is not that. They can get into the grind.
Minnesota Wild vs Montreal Canadiens Matchup Breakdown
This matchup looks like a clash of two different “good” profiles. Minnesota can win high-event games, but they also have the defensive gear to close the door when the game demands it. Montreal is playing looser lately, scoring a ton but also giving up enough chances that totals bettors are constantly involved.
The special teams piece matters because both teams can punish mistakes. Montreal’s power play showed up with two goals against Ottawa, and Minnesota is the kind of team that can turn one bad penalty into a two-goal swing quickly because they do not stop attacking after they score. If this game gets whistle-heavy, I think it favors the Over more than the side, because both teams have the shooters and movement to convert.
Goaltending is the last lever, and I am not treating it as certain here. Minnesota has leaned on Filip Gustavsson often, and Montreal’s results can swing depending on who starts and how sharp they are early. If you are looking for a cleaner way to think about this kind of matchup, the NHL betting guide is useful, and the Stanley Cup betting strategies page is a good reminder that price and game state matter as much as raw team strength.
NHL Lines Before the Puck Drops
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Minnesota Wild vs Montreal Canadiens Predictions and Best Bets
My lean is Montreal on the moneyline at -147, but it is not a love-it spot. It is more about home ice, the way Montreal has been scoring, and the fact that Minnesota is dealing with enough injuries that the depth advantage is slightly less automatic than usual. If Montreal gets to their forecheck game early and makes Minnesota defend in layers, I can see Minnesota playing a little more reactive than they prefer.
That said, Minnesota at +121 is not a throwaway price. If you like betting good teams as dogs, this is the type of number that can be right even if Montreal wins more often than not. I just think the current price is closer to fair than people want to admit, and I’m not racing to take plus money just because it is plus money.
The total is where I’m more interested. Minnesota has hit the Over in five straight, and Montreal just played a 6-5 game where the power play showed up and the defenses did not. With the total sitting at 6.5 and the Over priced at -101, you are basically paying even money for a game that profiles like it can get to 4-3 without needing overtime chaos. Maybe it tightens up, sure. But the way these teams are playing, I think the easier path is goals.
Best Bet: Over 6.5 (-101).
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