The Western Conference race already has a few teams separated from the pack, but the betting board still leaves room for three names that don’t fit the usual favorite mold. Minnesota, Dallas and Utah each bring a different path to contention, and each comes with its own question mark.
The Wild have the hottest offensive weaponry. The Stars have the résumé.
The Mammoth have the kind of early momentum that can turn a team from interesting to dangerous fast.
The odds have reflected that mix over the last two weeks. Minnesota has sat in the +500-550 range, Dallas has been listed at +700-800, and Utah at +750-850. That puts the Wild ahead of the other two, while also underscoring how much the market is weighing scoring depth, playoff execution and defensive stability.
Minnesota’s case starts with a line that has been flattening opponents early. Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy had outscored opponents 14-0 at five-on-five through the Wild’s November 3 win over Philadelphia. It’s a small sample, sure, but it’s also the kind of early-season production that gives a team a real identity.
Kaprizov entered November 5 with a league-leading 15 goals and 26 points in 17 games, and the rest of the line has made that scoring burst even more dangerous. Boldy added his seventh goal and an assist in Minnesota’s 4-2 win over Philadelphia, while Eriksson Ek also scored. Michael McCarron and Danila Yurov chipped in the other goals, and Jesper Wallstedt made 23 saves as the Wild moved to 11-3-3.
That win also pushed Minnesota’s road winning streak to five games. The Wild are 5-0-1 over their last six, a stretch that matters because they’ve already had to handle a road-heavy schedule and keep producing away from home.
There’s more to Minnesota than the top line, too. Quinn Hughes has given the team another high-end offensive layer, finishing with 53 points in 48 regular-season games after joining last season.
He then matched Kaprizov for the team lead with 15 points in 11 playoff games. That kind of production gives the Wild another driver when the game tightens up.
Still, the concern is obvious: when you stack Kaprizov, Eriksson Ek and Boldy together, you get a matchup nightmare, but you also concentrate a lot of the offense in one place. Minnesota will need help from the rest of the lineup when opponents find a way to slow that group down.
There are also rumors that Minnesota may land Dylan Larkin. Even with that uncertainty, the Wild’s +500-550 price says plenty - this is a contender, not a sleeper hiding in the weeds.
Dallas looks different, but no less dangerous. The Stars sit in the +700-800 range, and that number feels tied more to last spring than to anything missing from the roster.
Dallas reached the Western Conference Final in 2023, 2024 and 2025, then got knocked out by Minnesota in the first round of the 2026 playoffs. That ended the run, but it didn’t erase the profile.
Last season, Dallas went 50-20-12 and finished second in the Central Division. Jason Robertson was the headliner, leading the team with 96 points on 45 goals and 51 assists. Four Stars players reached at least 63 points, which tells you this isn’t a one-man offense.
The rest of the core is loaded with names that matter in a playoff series: Mikko Rantanen, Wyatt Johnston and Roope Hintz up front, Miro Heiskanen on the back end and Jake Oettinger in goal. That’s not the makeup of a team that should be treated lightly.
The numbers from last season back that up. Dallas finished second in goals allowed per game at 2.71, ranked second on the power play at 28.6 percent and averaged 3.33 goals per game.
The issue hasn’t been regular-season quality. It’s been whether that balance carries when the postseason gets unforgiving.
Utah is the most traditional dark horse of the group, and the Mammoth’s odds have reflected that. They’ve been listed at +750-850, right in the same neighborhood as Dallas.
Last season, Utah reached the playoffs as the Western Conference’s top wild-card team before falling to Vegas in six games. That run followed a 25-14-3 second-half surge, which gave the franchise a real foothold after relocation.
This season, Utah has kept building. The Mammoth are 10-6-0 after a 3-2 win over Toronto on November 3, and 10 of those first 16 games came on the road.
Clayton Keller had four goals and 17 assists through that stretch, and Utah entered November 4 leading the NHL in power-play efficiency. Four players were among the league’s top 35 scorers, so the offense isn’t coming from just one source.
The problem is on the other end. Utah allowed 3.37 goals per game through 16 contests, which ranked 23rd in the league. That’s the number that has to come down if the Mammoth want their power play and scoring depth to carry more weight.
The next stretch will tell us more. Utah visits Montreal, Ottawa and Vegas before returning home on November 12. In a division where Minnesota and Dallas are already setting the pace, those games will matter.
In Other News...
Stars Face A Tough Blue Line Test Without Miro Heiskanen
The Stars are headed into another game with their blue line still in flux, and Miro Heiskanens status only adds to the uncertainty. The defenseman is listed as doubtful against San Jose because of an upper-body injury, after already sitting out the previous game, when Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist were pushed into the top pairing.
For Minnesota, the injury picture has its own ripple effects. The Wild have been waiting on the Foligno brothers, Nick and Marcus, as they work back from upper-body injuries, and their potential return would give the lineup a needed boost. Around the league, John Tavares is also expected back for Toronto after a nine-game absence, a reminder of how quickly injury news can shift the look of a team from one night to the next. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Give A Familiar Forward Another Chance To Stick
Mason Shaw is getting another look from the organization that has already given him his NHL chances, with Wild general manager Bill Guerin announcing the forwards recall from Iowa on Friday. Shaw has been a steady presence for the Iowa Wild as their captain and has produced 10 points in 11 games this season, putting himself back in the conversation after opening the year in the American Hockey League.
For Minnesota, the move brings back a familiar depth option with NHL experience only in a Wild sweater, the kind of call-up that reflects both trust and need. The Iowa Wild also made a corresponding move of their own, bringing in Blake Biondi from the Jacksonville Icemen, as the club continues to juggle its roster at both levels. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Create A New Lineup Question Before Tonights Game
The Wild added a fresh wrinkle to their lineup picture before facing the Sharks later tonight, with general manager Bill Guerin bringing up forward Mason Shaw from Iowa. Shaw has been one of the more reliable pieces for the Wilds AHL affiliate, where he has worn the captains letter and produced offense at a steady clip while also giving Minnesota a familiar option with NHL experience already on his rsum.
For a team still sorting through its best mix on the fly, Shaws recall creates another decision point as game time approaches. Minnesota does not have long to settle on how it wants to use him, but the move at least gives the Wild a player who knows the organization and has handled a leadership role in the minors, which can matter when a roster needs a quick answer. [Read more 🡒]