The St. Louis Blues (4-1-0) have had a sweet start to their preseason, rattling off four straight wins before hitting a sour note in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Dallas Stars. They’ll be looking to bounce back with a win over the Minnesota Wild, who are the only remaining undefeated team in the preseason.
Which team will have the upper hand? Find out Tuesday night at 8:00 PM Eastern. Unfortunately, the game will not be televised, but for now, you can check out the Blues vs. Wild best bets below.
Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues Information
With the preseason winding down, both clubs will be looking at players who are on the roster fringe and fighting for the final spot with the NHL side. Just four points separated the clubs in the NHL standings at the end of last season, with the Wild on 113 and the Blues on 109.
Minnesota sent goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, defensemen Daemon Hunt, Simon Johansson, and Joe Hicketts, as well as forwards Sammy Walker and Joseph Cramarossa to the team’s AHL affiliate in Des Moines, IA, on Monday. The Wild has not announced a roster for Tuesday’s game.
On the other hand, St. Louis Blues will be trotting out a lineup with a few mainstays on the blueline (Justin Faulk, Torey Krug, Nick Leddy, and Colton Parayko), with Niko Mikkola and Matthew Kessel rounding out the defense group. Logan Brown leads the team in goals this preseason with four, but he’s expected to get the night off.
Here is the projected Blues forward group, per Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic:
Noel Acciari, Matthew Highmore, Jordan Kyrou, Josh Leivo, Jake Neighbours, Ryan O’Reilly, Tyler Pitlick, Brandon Saad, Brayden Schenn, Robert Thomas, Nathan Walker, Pavel Buchnevich.
Last Game Record
As mentioned above, the Wild are 4-0-0 this preseason, with two wins over the Colorado Avalanche, a win over the Stars, and a 3-0 shutout of the Chicago Blackhawks. St. Louis defeated the Arizona Coyotes, Stars, Blackhawks, and Columbus Blue Jackets before Saturday’s 5-2 loss.
In recent years, the Blues have dominated the head-to-head matchups with Minnesota. St. Louis eliminated the Wild in the first round of the 2022 playoffs in six games, outscoring Minnesota 15-5 over the series’ final three contests. The Blues also won all three regular-season meetings against Minnesota, though two of those wins came in overtime. St. Louis has shown time and again to be the more reliable option in Blues vs. Wild best bets.
Minnesota Wild vs. St Louis Blues Analysis
Any time the Wild and Blues take to the ice together, fans and bettors alike can expect a fiercely competitive and physical game. Beyond the recent playoff history and animosity between the two, both clubs expect to compete for playoff positioning throughout the season and should be quite evenly matched.
If you’re making Wild picks to win the Central Division, most books have them around +375, while the Blues’ odds are +900. However, don’t be surprised if St. Louis finishes ahead at the end of the season.
Tyson Jost should once again be in the lineup for Minnesota. His five points (two goals, three assists) in two games are among the tops in the league during the preseason. If the Wild are keeping things closer to their regular season lineup, expect a heavy dose of Jost with linemates Matthew Boldy and 2023 Calder Trophy hopeful Marco Rossi up the middle.
Odds Breakdown
Minnesota Wild
MONEYLINE: +118
PUCK LINE: (+1.5 goals) -198
St. Louis Blues
MONEYLINE: -163
PUCK LINE: (-1.5 goals) +141
Game Total
OVER/UNDER: Over 6 goals -131, Under 6 goals -105
Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues Betting Pick and Prediction
When looking at the Blues vs. Wild best bets, without knowing how the Wild will finalize their lines, the pick, for now, needs to be on St. Louis. Minnesota is expected to play without star scorer Kirill Kaprizov, whose 47 goals and 108 points last season shattered team records. With a more youthful lineup, the Wild may be overmatched against a more experienced Blues squad.
Though eight of the teams’ nine combined preseason games were decided by at least two goals, the puck line should be avoided here. Expect a low-scoring contest that may be a “last goal wins” affair.
Picks: St. Louis Blues moneyline (-163), Under 6 goals (-105)
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