The NHL preseason is here and there is a very interesting game that will take place at the American Airlines Center where the Minnesota Wild takes on the Dallas Stars this Wednesday. With last season’s records casting a long shadow, the impressive records of the Stars at 52-21-9 and the Wild at a less impressive 39-33-10, we have ourselves an early season test. As you check the NHL daily free picks, this game is not one to be missed when getting some handy tips and exciting ice hockey.
Minnesota Wild vs Dallas Stars 9/25/24 Game Info |
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| When: | Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at 8:00 PM ET |
| Where: | American Airlines Center |
| TV: | Victory+ |
| Stream: | NHL.TV |
Minnesota Wild (39-33-10 Last season) vs. Dallas Stars (52-21-9 Last season)
The Minnesota Wild, though far from the impressive achievements of their opponent, have a decent roster led by their offensive ace Kirill Kaprizov. Last season, not only did Kaprizov show his scoring prowess and net many of the 46 goals he scored, but also amazed fans with his passing skills and provided 50 assists. It is clear from the Wild’s shift, rich with players such as Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek, that the offense needs to exploit the weaknesses in the Dallas’ defense. However, to truly test the Stars, the Wild’s offensive execution needs to be sharp, focusing on power play opportunities and maintaining pressure, something the Los Angeles Kings have previously shown can rattle even the staunchest defenses.
On the contrary, the Dallas Stars are coming into the preseason under pressure as last season’s record resonated with supreme collective endeavor. Starting with the offense, they have active centers in Wyatt Johnston and Roope Hintz who are a force with both goals and assists. Johnston’s composure under pressure and Hintz’s timely goals are going to be important when playing against a tough wild team on the road. The Stars need to capitalize on their home advantage and concentrate on breaking the Wild’s plays from the beginning of the match.
Goaltender Filip Gustavsson vs. Goaltender Thatcher Demko
It was a tough previous year for Filip Gustavsson of the Wild, with the save percentage likely to be only slightly higher than 0.900. In this regard, facing the high-powered offense of the Stars will require Gustavsson to come up big against the likes of Hintz and Johnston. In action during the preseason, his positioning, catching with that hand and skating should align his expectations on what’s to come, thereby making this encounter with a better club a key assessment of what he has been able to do in the summer as well as how far he has progressed.
Last season, however, Thatcher Demko proved to be an uncompromising wall in the net for the Stars posting a 0.918 in save percentage. His consistency will be very important since the Stars are looking to contain the offensive hunger of the Wild. Demko’s goaltending might be the element that gives the opportunity to Dallas to play a bit riskier knowing that there is an experienced and trustworthy last line of defense.
NHL Odds/Point Spread: TBD, Total Odds: TBD
As the betting odds are still undecided, it is essential for the bettors to stay abreast of the betting trends. What one does not foresee is the outcome in the preseason games, although the data gathered in the recent playoffs betrays that the Stars might have an edge, particularly on home ground.
Minnesota Wild Betting Trends
Wild’s betting patterns demonstrate a team that can be a shocker, more so when playing away from home and against the spread. These recent patterns as well as knowing how to capitalize on the few weaknesses that the Stars may possess provide some useful odds for the betters.
Dallas Stars Betting Trends
It is now well-known that the Stars have been having a good principal game. However, their home against the spread trends from the last seasons suggests that they may have trouble in covering large spreads. There may be prospects for the waging public in such tighter matches where the offensive tendencies of the Stars can be seen at their best.
Minnesota Wild vs. Dallas Stars 9/25/24 Betting Picks
Based on the analysis and the trends, the inclination is somewhat towards the recommendation of the Stars as last season, they were very strong and Demko is steady in the net. Though Kovalchuk and the others have come full circle, one must not forget the Wild’s capability to take on the stronger teams, especially with Kaprizov over the line.
Given the nature of the game in the preseason and both teams trying all possible combinations, it might be more reasonable to bet on the total points rather than on handicap for a particular selection. Since both teams are exhibiting a pattern of playing lots of high-scoring affairs, total points ‘over’ may be an attractive bet. This Handicapper analysis today points towards an engaging game where the strategy and depth of the team will exhaust both the squads to the fullest.