Wild vs. Jets Odds
| Wild Odds | -155 |
| Jets Odds | +135 |
| Over/Under | 6.5 (+105/-125) |
| Time | 8 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute NHL Odds here. | |
The Minnesota Wild take a trip north of the border Tuesday to take on the Winnipeg Jets in what is the first game for both after the All-Star break.
Prior to the hiatus, the Wild were playing some of their best hockey, winning six consecutive games and tallying nine total wins in their last 10 outings. In contrast, Winnipeg didn't have nearly as great of a run before taking some time off, losing seven of their last eight games and sliding down to sixth in the Central Division.
There appears to be quite a talent gap when looking at these teams, but any divisional battle is sure to make every team crank up the intensity. Will that make the Jets fill in the gaps and step up their play or will the Wild continue their dominance with a road win?
Minnesota Wild
The Wild have been nearly unstoppable all season, and prior to the All-Star break during their six-game win streak that remained the case.
In their most recent six wins, Minnesota scored an impressive 29 total goals, while managing to put an average of 33.8 shots on goal per game in that span of time, both of which were above their season averages. That level of firepower should not come as much of a surprise, because according to Natural Stat Trick, the Wild are second in the NHL in goals for per 60 minutes in 5-on-5 with 3.31 this season.
Defensively, Minnesota is at the top of the league in several categories in 5-on-5 as well. As a team, Minnesota ranks seventh in Expected Goals Against per 60 minutes (xGA/60) with 2.29, and through 41 games they have surrendered just 80 total goals in 5-on-5 during play.
It's quite evident that this is one of the most well-rounded teams in the NHL this season, which is likely to pose some problems for a struggling Jets squad.
All reports point to Kaapo Kahkonen getting the start in net on Tuesday, which has generally been great news for Minnesota. In 5-on-5 this season, Kahkonen has an SV% of .922 and -0.5 Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx) in 16 appearances.
Winnipeg Jets
The month of January was quite ugly for Winnipeg and it began February on the same note.
This team played 11 games in the first month of 2022, and in that stretch it was outscored, 38-29, by its opponents and won just four games. The Jets followed that poor stretch with a lackluster effort against a struggling Flyers squad on Feb. 1, and as a result, hit the half-way mark with an 18-17-7 record.
The biggest reason for their slump has been because of their inconsistency to score the puck as of late. On the season, Winnipeg ranks inside the top ten in Expected Goals For per 60 minutes (xGF/60) with 2.62, but in their last ten games that number has fallen to 2.27 which further emphasizes their shortcomings on that end of the ice.
Furthermore, the Jets are generating just 9.04 High Danger Chances per 60 minutes in 5-on-5 in their most recent ten games. Generating scoring chances in close has been an issue, and Winnipeg could get run out of the rink in this one if they can't find their footing on the offense.
Their saving grace has been Connor Hellebuyck, and although he has posted a record of just 14-15-6, he has put up great numbers in net. In 5-on-5, Hellebuyck has an SV % of .923 and 10.3 GSAx, and if he can get some help from his offense in this one Winnipeg could be in good shape.
Wild-Jets Pick
It's possible that a week of rest is all Winnipeg might need to get back on track, but at the end of the day the Jets are running into one of the hottest teams while they just finished playing their worst hockey of the season.
Winnipeg has struggled defensively all season, posting 2.67 xGA per 60 minutes and 12.52 High Danger Chances Against per 60 minutes, both of which rank bottom four in the league. That's not great news entering any matchup, but especially when going up against one of the more talented scoring attacks this season.
In the two meetings between the Wild and the Jets this season, Minnesota is 2-0 and has outscored Winnipeg 13-6. Furthermore, Winnipeg has posted just 1.99 Expected Goals For per 60 minutes in those matchups, further showcasing their lack of productivity on that end of the ice.
The Wild are simply the stronger team in this one, which is why I like them to win this outright.
Pick: Minnesota ML (-145)
