Golden Knights vs. Wild Odds
| Golden Knights Odds | +125 |
| Wild Odds | -155 |
| Over/Under | 6.5 (-105/-115) |
| Time | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Odds via BetMGM. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
With just over a month to go before the NHL playoffs begin, two teams that waged a seven-game war in the first round last year will square off on Monday night.
Before this game on Monday, the 2022 trade deadline will pass at 3 p.m. ET. It can take a couple of hours beyond that before all the deals are finalized and announced.
This preview is based on what we know as of Sunday evening. The Minnesota Wild, in particular, have indicated that they could make some moves, while the Vegas Golden Knights are tight to the salary cap and will probably be limited in what they can do.
On this day more than any other, check in on the usual reliable sources for lineup updates before placing your bets.
Golden Knights Enter Crucial Week
Just a few days ago, the Golden Knights were in real danger of slipping out of a playoff spot. They'd lost five straight, injuries were piling up, and goaltending had become a major issue with starter Robin Lehner dealing with a lower-body injury.
With their backs against the wall, rookie Logan Thompson backstopped them to a 5-3 win over the Florida Panthers on Thursday. Thompson was outstanding again on Saturday, named first star as they beat the Los Angeles Kings 5-1.
Now, with a bit of a cushion in the Western Conference standings, Vegas plays four games against Central Division foes this week. They're on the road for a back-to-back set against the Wild and the Jets on Monday and Tuesday, then host the Predators and Blackhawks later in the week.
With Lehner still on the shelf, it would make sense for Thompson and Laurent Brossoit to split the starts on the road. But there's still no indication which keeper would take which game.
Thompson is on a roll, but Brossoit isn't. He has just two wins since the All-Star Break and was pulled in his last start after giving up four goals on 13 shots against Winnipeg.
And while Vegas was happy to have Jack Eichel in the lineup on Saturday after he suffered a hand injury against Florida, he wasn't able to take faceoffs in the game. That meant Vegas got dominated in the faceoff circle.
Other key forwards on the Vegas injured list include Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty and Reilly Smith.
Talbot and Kaprizov Lead the Wild Into the Trade Deadline
Like Vegas, Minnesota has been in a slump that was starting to put its playoff chances at risk, but the Wild have had a bit of a head start in righting the ship.
After a 3-1 win over Chicago on Saturday, Minnesota is now 4-1-1 in its last six games and sits third in the Central Division.
Perhaps the best news for general manager Bill Guerin is that Cam Talbot has earned all four of those wins. He's still at -6.4 Goals Saved Above Expected for the year, but his 2.24 Goals Against Average since March 5 has been key for a Minnesota team that can score in bunches when things are going well but can also be emotionally fragile.
For the year, the Wild rank third in the NHL in goals per game. However, they also in the bottom half of the league in Goals Allowed. With a tremendous scoring talent like Kirill Kaprizov in the fold, it's surprising that their power play isn't more consistent.
The Wild made two pre-deadline trades leading into Sunday. They added more skill by sending big Nico Sturm to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Tyson Jost, then amped up their team toughness with the acquisition of rugged Nicolas Deslauriers from the Anaheim Ducks.
There's also some talk that the Wild could be interested in acquiring Marc-Andre Fleury to shore up their netminding. As of Sunday night, that has not yet happened.
Golden Knights vs. Wild Pick
When you boil these teams down to raw possession numbers, they're not too far apart, and both clubs have some positive momentum heading into Monday's game.
While the Golden Knights are banged up and in the midst of a busy part of their schedule, the Wild are healthy and settled at home. Monday's game will be the fourth in a nine-game homestand that stretches through the end of March.
Vegas has won both games of the season series so far, but barring any crazy trade-deadline upheaval, circumstances favor the Wild this time around.
Back the Wild on the moneyline on Monday night, but shop around to see if you can find a better price than the -155 on BetMGM. As of Sunday night, FanDuel is offering -132.
Pick: Wild (-132) | play down to -155
