By: Kim Smith Published 12/11/2025, 01:40 AM ET

Central Division powers clash on Thursday night as the Dallas Stars visit Saint Paul to take on the Minnesota Wild in a matchup with major early-season implications. As always, before you lock in your wagers, make sure to review today’s free NHL Picks — a crucial resource when analyzing two teams that play contrasting styles as sharply as Dallas and Minnesota.

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Terms & Conditions Stars vs Wild Betting Overview

Dallas enters with one of the strongest records in the NHL at 21-5-5 (11-1-4 away), while Minnesota has held its ground despite injuries, sitting at 16-9-5 (8-3-4 home). Books will favor Dallas slightly, but Minnesota’s defensive numbers at home make this a tighter contest than the standings suggest.

Dallas Stars PreviewOffense

The Stars remain one of the league’s most consistent offensive units, averaging 3.40 goals per game.

Key scorers include:

Mikko Rantanen — 42 PTS (13 G, 29 A) Jason Robertson — 19 goals, 7 PPG Roope Hintz — elite transition threat

Dallas shoots 25.9 times per game, but they turn chances into goals efficiently thanks to elite puck movement.

Defense & Goaltending

Defensively, Dallas performs at a top-tier level:

Jake Oettinger — 14-4-2, 2.49 GAA, .909 SV% Casey DeSmith — 7-1-3, 2.16 GAA, .920 SV%

The Stars allow only 2.50 goals per game, and their penalty kill sits at a strong 82.1%. Their blue line limits dangerous shots better than almost any team in the West.

Recent Form W 4–3 @ WPG W 3–2 SO vs PIT W 4–1 vs SJ W 3–0 @ NJ L 3–2 OT @ NYR

Dallas is 4–0–1 in its last 5, showing elite consistency despite travel demands.

Minnesota Wild PreviewOffense

Minnesota averages 2.73 goals per game, but their scoring is extremely top-heavy.

Key weapons include:

Kirill Kaprizov — 33 PTS (18 G, 15 A) Matt Boldy — 16 assists Marco Rossi (injured)

Minnesota is streaky offensively and generates 27.9 shots per game, but their attack relies heavily on Kaprizov’s elite finishing.

Defense & Goaltending

This is where Minnesota has surged:

Jesper Wallstedt — 8-1-2, 1.95 GAA, .936 SV% (Vezina-caliber numbers) Filip Gustavsson — 8-8-3, 2.67 GAA, .908 SV%

The Wild allow only 2.67 goals per game, and that number drops even further in home games.

Recent Form W 4–1 @ SEA L 4–2 @ VAN L 4–1 @ CGY W 1–0 @ EDM L 3–2 SO vs BUF

The Wild are 2–3 in their last 5, but their defensive structure is improving.

Matchup Breakdown: Dallas Stars vs Minnesota WildEdge: Offense — Stars

More depth, more weapons, more consistent finishing.

Edge: Defense — Wild

Minnesota’s defensive metrics at home are elite, and Wallstedt has been phenomenal.

Edge: Goaltending — Slight Wild

Oettinger is elite. Wallstedt has been otherworldly. This is close, but Minnesota gets the edge based on current form.

Edge: Special Teams — Stars Stars PP: 31.6% (full-on lethal) Wild PP: 22.1%

Dallas owns the matchup here.

Key Trends Stars are 4-0-1 in last 5 Wild are 6-1-2 in last 9 home games Stars have allowed 2 or fewer goals in 5 of last 6 Over has hit in 4 of the last 5 Minnesota home games Picks & Predictions

From a betting perspective, I love Dallas in most matchup categories — their power play, puck possession numbers, and goaltending consistency all point toward another strong road effort. However, Minnesota at home with a red-hot Wallstedt introduces real volatility.

When a matchup is this tight, I lean toward the deeper roster with better special teams and superior late-game execution. That’s Dallas. The best sportsbooks are the best way to go when you are betting on the Stars. Make sure you know about how the fans are looking on prediction markets for the Wild with the Onyx Odds promo code. Getting the most out of your bets on Stars vs Wild can be done by using the Fanatics Sportsbook promo code.

Best Bet: Stars ML

Secondary Lean: Over 5.5

Props Lean: Jason Robertson Anytime Goal Scorer

Final Score Prediction

Dallas Stars 4, Minnesota Wild 2

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