Wild vs Oilers Prediction, Odds & Preview for Friday Night Hockey (Feb. 23)

• The Edmonton Oilers battle the Minnesota Wild on Friday Night Hockey
• Oddsmakers are siding with the Oilers in the Friday NHL odds
• Read below for the Oilers vs Wild game preview & prediction

Two teams sitting near the top of the Western Conference NHL standings will face off for Friday Night Hockey. The Edmonton Oilers host the Minnesota Wild at Rogers Place, with the puck drop slated for 9:00 PM ET on Sportsnet.

The Oilers are priced as heavy -200 favorites in the Friday NHL odds, despite Minnesota having the edge in recent head-to-head play. The Oilers have only lost eight times at home this season and are seeking a bounce-back performance following a rollercoaster loss to Boston.

What’s the best bet to make for Oilers vs Wild? Here’s our game prediction, along with a breakdown of the odds.

Wild vs Oilers Odds

In the Wild vs Oilers odds, Edmonton is a -200 favorite on the moneyline, giving them 67% implied win probability.

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Odds as of Feb. 23 at Bet365 Sportsbook. Take advantage of the sign up bonus for bet365 to place a wager on Oilers vs Wild.

Wild vs Oilers Trends

While Edmonton has a 10-point lead on Minnesota in the current NHL standings, the Wild have had the Oilers’ number lately. Minnesota has won nine of their last 11 games against Edmonton, including 15 of the past 20 meetings at Rogers Place.

EDM-MIN Recent Results

The Wild have also won five of their last six road games entering this one, although the Oilers enter having won eight of their past nine at home. A key trend to note is that the Oilers are 2-8 in their last 10 after allowing five goals or more in their previous game.

Wild vs Oilers Betting Analysis

The Oilers and Wild enter Friday Night Hockey with identical 6-3-1 records in their past 10 games. Minnesota lost to Winnipeg 6-3 in their last game on the road, while the Oilers were beaten 6-5 by the Bruins in overtime at home in their most recent outing.

These two teams have already met twice this season, with Minnesota winning the first meeting by a 7-4 score in October, while Edmonton won 4-3 in December. Each team’s victory came in their own building. Edmonton has won two straight games against Minnesota at Rogers Place.

Key players for Friday’s game include Connor McDavid for the Oilers and Kirill Kaprizov for the Wild. McDavid has four goals and 21 assists in his last 10 games, while Kaprizov has six goals and 11 assists over his last 10 games.

A major matchup in this game will be Edmonton’s power play facing Minnesota’s penalty kill. The Oilers have the league’s fourth-best power play at 26.3% and face a Wild penalty kill that is ranked 16th in the NHL (74.5%).

NHL Injuries to Note

The big injury to note before making a Wild vs Oilers prediction pertains to Edmonton forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. RNH has been dealing with an illness and didn’t practice Thursday. While the 30-year-old missed Wednesday’s game against Boston, he appears on track to return Friday night vs Minnesota.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is back on the ice for the Oilers Optional Skate this morning.

Looks like he’s back after missing one game with an illness. #Oilers pic.twitter.com/5kAyKbumaZ

— Tony Brar 🚀 (@TonyBrarOTV) February 23, 2024

On the Minnesota side, Defenseman Zach Bogosian suffered an upper-body injury in the last game and it is unclear if he will be able to play in the upcoming game against the Oilers. Left-wingers Marcus Foligno and Pat Maroon are also out with injuries.

Foligno has a lower-body injury and is expected to remain sidelined until early March, while Maroon had back surgery and will not return to the ice for four to six weeks. Defenseman Jared Spurgeon has been put on the long-term injured reserve list due to injuries to his hip and back. Unfortunately, he will miss the remainder of the season.

Oilers vs Wild Prediction

It might be surprising to see Edmonton as such a heavy favorite against Minnesota, considering their recent struggles against this team. However, the advanced metrics paint a clear picture of why oddsmakers are big on the Oilers for Friday night hockey.

Over the past month, no NHL team has a better expected goals percentage than Edmonton (57.4%). It’s part of the reason they overtook the Colorado Avalanche as the favorite in the Stanley Cup odds. Minnesota is middle-of-the-pack in that department, with their Corsi sitting just below 50% over the past 10 games.

Back in the ⛸️#mnwild pic.twitter.com/gxwFsktSL5

— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) February 22, 2024

The goaltending situation is where it gets interesting for our Oilers vs Wild prediction. Edmonton plays Saturday night in the Battle of Alberta, so Calvin Pickard (.910 SV%) will get the nod against the Wild. Filip Gustavsson is expected to start for Minnesota.

We simply don’t trust Pickard in goal, as he sports a career .904 save percentage, which has fallen below .900 in three of his past four games. The Oilers inability to keep the puck out of their net has played a key role in their recent struggles against Minnesota.

We think there’s great value on Minnesota right now at +165 at Bet365, and this line could shorten leading up to puck drop. The Wild have the snipers to pick Pickard apart while playing a style of defense that frustrates the Edmonton offensive playmakers.

• Pick: Minnesota Wild ML (+165 at Bet365 )