Panthers vs Wild Odds
| Panthers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -210 | 6.5 -105o / -115u | +114 |
| Wild Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +172 | 6.5 -105o / -115u | -137 |
The Minnesota Wild host the Stanley Cup runner up Florida Panthers on Thursday night.
A lot of high expectations are set for the Panthers after they nearly completed their Cinderella run last season. Many believe they can win it all, but Florida is missing two of its top defensemen in Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad. Aside from that, the core has largely stayed the same, with the exception of a few depth signings.
Minnesota is also a team with a ton of expectations. Even after losing Mathew Dumba to free agency, the Wild are a team on the watch. The Central Division is a juggernaut, though the Wild are looking to take the next step. They lost in the first round last year, so anything short of the second round will be a massive disappointment.
Here’s a look at the odds, as well as my Florida Panthers vs. Minnesota Wild betting prediction.
Florida Panthers
Led by Matthew Tkachuk, the Panthers have loads of talent up front. They were among the most efficient offenses in the league last season, but the goaltending underperformed. If Florida is going to continue its run of recent success, it needs better goaltending throughout the season.
Florida’s firepower is deadly, and the models loved it last year. The Panthers placed seventh in expected goals with a 53.8 xGF% and were third in high danger chances generated a season ago. Defensively, they could've been better. Florida had a 2.76 xGA/60, and that probably did hamper the goaltending.
The powerplay is also pretty potent. With Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov and Sam Reinhart, anything is possible. They handled themselves well last season and scored nearly 23% of the time, though the penalty kill needs some serious work as it averaged a 70-75% success rate in both the regular season and playoffs.
Sergei Bobrovsky was a difference maker in the playoffs, but during the season he was a bit suspect. Bobrovsky’s reputation precedes itself as he’s a two time Vezina winner, but since signing the big contract in Sunrise, the roads have been bumpy with a .901 SV% and a +6.2 goals saved above expected (GSAx).
Minnesota Wild
When it comes to the Wild, all eyes are on the Russian sensation, Kirill Kaprizov. Coming off his second consecutive 40-goal season, Kaprizov has built tremendous chemistry with veteran Mats Zuccarello. Behind them is youngster Matt Boldy, who made his presence known league wide with 31 goals in his second season.
Despite the talent up front, Minnesota drove play at an OK pace. It was 17th with a 51.04 xGF% and was toward the bottom of the league in generating high danger chances. Defensively, the Wild thrive though. Dean Evason's teams will always be stout in the back end, and it showed as the Wild played to a second-best 2.37 xGA/60.
The Wild’s special team did exceptionally well last season and scored 21% of the time on the power play. As expected with such a strong defensive system, the penalty kill also fared well and had an 82% success rate.
The big question in Minnesota is who starts in net? Even though veteran Marc-Andre Fleury has slowed down since leaving Vegas, he still posted a respectable .908 SV% and +6.6 GSAx. However, Filip Gustavsson may have moved ahead of the pack. The young Swede played out of his mind with a .931 SV% and +24.4 GSAx, but was inconsistent in the playoffs. I wouldn’t be surprised if Gustavsson gets the nod here.
Panthers vs Wild
Betting Pick & Prediction
Both of these teams have high-power weapons, but Minnesota’s defensive scheme makes me think this’ll be a lower scoring game. The Wild have a bunch of stoppers on the blueline in captain Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin and Jacob Middleton.
Florida is missing two of its top defensemen and the blue line looks rather mediocre. The defense didn't hold up its end of the bargain, even in the playoffs, and it’s really up to Bobrovsky. I have faith that Bobrovsky will continue the hot streak he was on during the postseason, and that he can cover any mistakes the defense makes.
Minnesota will hold up its end of the bargain, it’s really up to the Panthers to keep this game low scoring. Regardless, I’m taking the under.
