Wild vs. Oilers Preview: Streaking Minnesota Meets a Rebounding Edmonton Squad
The Minnesota Wild head into Edmonton tonight riding one of the hottest streaks in the league. Winners of nine of their last 11 (9-0-2), the Wild have found their rhythm at both ends of the ice-and they’re doing it with a rookie goaltender who’s playing like a seasoned vet.
Jesper Wallstedt, fresh off being named NHL Rookie of the Month for November, has been nothing short of sensational. In six starts last month, he posted a perfect 6-0-0 record, a stingy 1.14 goals-against average, a jaw-dropping .967 save percentage, and three shutouts.
That’s not just good for a rookie-it’s elite by any standard.
With Wallstedt locking things down in the crease, Minnesota’s top guns are doing their part up front. Kirill Kaprizov is in the middle of a season-best seven-game point streak, tallying nine points (7G, 2A) during that stretch.
Even more impressive? He’s found the back of the net in six straight games.
When Kaprizov’s in this kind of groove, he’s one of the most electrifying players in the league-equal parts sniper and playmaker.
Then there’s Matt Boldy, who’s been on a tear since early November. Over his last 12 games, Boldy has racked up 16 points (10G, 6A) and boasts a +10 rating.
That production puts him tied for fourth in goals and tied for tenth in points league-wide during that span. He’s not just scoring-he’s tilting the ice every time he’s out there.
Minnesota will be missing some key depth tonight, though. Rookie center Danila Yurov is out day-to-day with a lower-body injury, and the Wild are still without Marcus Foligno, Marco Rossi, and Vinnie Hinostroza, all of whom are dealing with similar lower-body issues and didn’t make the trip to Edmonton.
On the other side, the Oilers are showing signs of life. They’ve picked up points in three of their last four (2-1-1) and are coming off a dominant 4-0 win over the Seattle Kraken. That bounce-back performance came just days after an ugly 8-3 loss to the Dallas Stars, and it was a much-needed response for a team still trying to find its footing.
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl continue to do the heavy lifting for Edmonton. McDavid leads the team with 36 points (11G, 25A), and Draisaitl isn’t far behind with 31 (15G, 16A). As long as those two are on the ice, the Oilers are never out of a game.
Stuart Skinner will get the nod in net again tonight, marking his third straight start. It’s been an up-and-down season for Skinner, who enters the game with a 9-7-3 record, a 3.00 GAA, and a .885 save percentage.
He was pulled in that rough outing against Dallas after giving up four goals on just eight shots, but he responded in a big way with a 26-save shutout against Seattle. The Oilers are hoping that version of Skinner shows up tonight.
Edmonton will once again be without defenseman Jake Walman, who misses his fourth straight game. Forwards Jack Roslovic, Kasperi Kapanen, and Noah Philp also remain sidelined.
Historically, the Wild have had the upper hand in this matchup, winning 11 of the last 15 meetings and outscoring the Oilers 62-47 over that span. But Edmonton has taken the last two head-to-heads, and with their stars heating up and Skinner coming off a shutout, they’ll be looking to flip the script at Rogers Place.
Puck drops at 8 p.m. CT. With two teams trending in the right direction-and plenty of star power on both benches-this one’s got all the makings of a high-energy, high-stakes battle.