Maple Leafs Prepare for Wild, Upcoming Road Trip
The Toronto Maple Leafs wrapped up a two-game road trip and are returning home for a quick stop-off against the Minnesota Wild on Friday before they head out for another five road games.
The Minnesota Wild are playing well as they’ve won four straight – including a 2-0 shutout win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday. That means that this is the second half of a back-to-back.
Both teams could be fatigued, so which is the best option versus the NHL betting odds?
Goalie Rising Star in Minnesota
The Wild have been performing better lately with Filip Gustavsson in the crease. Marc-Andre Fleury got the start in net on Thursday and picked up a shutout. It’s likely we will see Gustavsson in net on Friday.
He definitely took a back seat to Fleury earlier in the season when it came to the rotation. That seems to be slightly changing with Gustavsson thoroughly outperforming his teammate recently.
On the year, Gustavsson is 15-8-2 with a 2.11 GAA and a .928 save percentage. Compared to other goalies, he’s tied for 22nd in record, second in GAA, and second in save percentage.
Those who bet online should note that his away numbers are slightly stronger than at home as he has a .932 save percentage on the road (versus .926 at home) and a 2.03 GAA (versus 2.16 at home).
Maple Leafs Move On Without Muzzin
The Maple Leafs got some bad news when it was announced that defenseman Jake Muzzin will be missing the rest of the season due to a cervical spine injury. He had only appeared in four games.
The hope was that he would return and bolster the back end for a Stanley Cup run. Despite the bad news, there are still positives to be had in Toronto. Mitchell Marner, William Nylander, John Tavares, Auston Matthews, and newly acquired Ryan O’Reilly are a talented group.
O’Reilly has appeared in three games since the Leafs picked him up. He’s already made an impact, scoring a hat trick in his last game. He has five points in three games. They’ll need him and the offense to be sharp if Gustavsson continues to play how he has.
Wild vs Maple Leafs Game Injuries
Wild vs Maple Leafs Head-to-Head
In the previous meeting between these teams on November 25, Toronto came out on top with a 4-3 win over the Wild. Matt Murray and Fleury were the goaltenders, so we’ll likely see a different matchup this time around.
Wild vs Maple Leafs Information
- Game: Wild (31-21-5) Maple Leafs (35-15-8)
- Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
- Day/Time: Friday, 7 p.m. ET
- Wild vs Maple Leafs Live stream: NHL.TV
Wild vs Maple Leafs Betting Lines
| Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Total | Team Total |
| Minnesota Wild | +1½ -150 | +170 | O 6 -125 | O 2½ -110
U 2½ -130 |
| Toronto Maple Leafs |
-1½ +130
|
-200 |
U 6 +105
|
O 3½ -110
U 3½ -130 |
The odds in this chart are based on the time of publication. They are subject to change.
Wild vs Maple Leafs Picks and Prediction
If Gustavsson isn’t given the start in the crease for Minnesota, it’s hard to roll with the Wild for your NHL picks. Fleury is the weaker option of the two and makes this team a fade or a pass.
However, Fleury started last night, so it’s likely we see Gustavsson. If that’s the case, go under the number in the sportsbook. Gustavsson and Ilya Samsonov should shine in this showdown. Both teams might be tired as well given their recent schedules.
Toronto is listed at -200 in our Vegas lines. So, if you wager $100 on the Maple Leafs, there’s a chance to win $50. Minnesota is +170 with a chance to win $170 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives the Maple Leafs a 66.67% chance to win, with the Wild at 37.04%.
Wild vs Maple Leafs Trends
Wild vs Maple Leafs Edge
Wild vs Maple Leafs Results
Wild vs Maple Leafs Game Summary
