April 18, 2026, 3:59 a.m. ET

The Minnesota Wild and the Dallas Stars meet in Game 1 of their best-of-7, Western Conference first-round series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs Saturday. Puck drop at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN). Let’s analyze NHL odds around the Wild vs. Stars odds and make our expert NHL picks and predictions.

Regular-season series: Tied 2-2

The Wild went 46-24-12 (104 points) in the regular season, grabbing a top-3 spot in the Central Division and getting back to the playoffs a second season in a row. LW Kirill Kaprizov led the charge again with 45 goals and 89 points. He wasn’t alone, though, LW Matt Boldy took another step as a scorer with 42 goals, while C Joel Eriksson Ek provided his usual 2-way impact and chipped in offensively with 19 goals and 32 assists. On the back end, D Brock Faber (15 G, 36 A) continued to emerge as a key piece, logging big minutes and helping stabilize the defense.

Injuries popped up at times, but Minnesota’s depth kept things steady down the stretch. The Wild have struggled to advance in the Stanley Cup playoffs, having not been out of the first round since the 2014-2015 season.

The Stars put together another strong season, going 50-20-12 (112 points) to finish second in the Central. LW Jason Robertson led the offense with around 45 goals and 96 points, while C Wyatt Johnston continued his rise with a 45- goal breakout campaign. D Miro Heiskanen (54 assists) handled big minutes on the blue line and G Jake Oettinger finished 35-12-6 in net. Even with injuries to key players like C Tyler Seguin and C Roope Hintz, the depth kept them rolling all season.

The Stars lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final and haven’t been back since. They lost in the Western Conference Final the 3 previous seasons (2022-2024).

Watch the NHL on Fubo!Wild at Stars odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 3:58 a.m. ET.

Moneyline (ML): Wild +105 (bet $100 to win $105) | Stars -125 (bet $125 to win $100)Puck line (PL)/Against the spread (ATS): Wild +1.5 (-235) | Stars +1.5 (+190)Over/Under (O/U): 5.5 (O: -120 | U: +100)Wild at Stars projected goalies

Jesper Wallstedt (18-9-6, 2.61 GAA, .916 SV%, 4 SO) vs. Jake Oettinger (35-12-6, 2.59 GAA, .899 SV%, 4 SO)

The 23-year-old Wallstedt is set to make his first career postseason start Saturday. The Swede closed the regular season strong, going 3-1 with a 1.77 GAA and .942 SV% in 4 April starts. In an interesting twist, his only career matchup against the Stars was his NHL debut, and it was a tough one. He allowed 7 goals against 34 shots in a 7-2 road loss Jan. 10, 2024.

Oettinger brings plenty of playoff experience, having played in 65 games with a winning record (32-30) in his postseason career. He finished this regular season on a heater, going 5-0 in April with a 1.94 GAA, .916 SV% and 2 shutouts. Oettinger has also been strong against the Wild, owning a 9-1-4 regular-season record with a 2.35 GAA and .920 SV% and a shutout. He beat them in a 2023 first-round matchup, going 4-2 with a .929 SV%

Wild at Stars picks and predictionsPrediction

Wild 4, Stars 3

BET WILD (+105).

The Wild look like a strong value play on the moneyline against the Stars (-125), who are dealing with injuries, including Hintz and a less-than-100% Heiskanen.

Minnesota brings more balance, led by scorers Kaprizov and Boldy, plus added experience from RW Vladimir Tarasenko (23 G, 24 A). Eriksson Ek has been active offensively and feels due for a breakout.

In net, Wallstedt gives the Wild upside, while Oettinger is coming off a down season. With better form and fewer question marks, MINNESOTA (+105) is worth backing.

PASS.

No need to play with the puck line since we’re backing Wild ML.

BET OVER 5.5 (-120).

Recent trends point to plenty of scoring between the Wild and Stars. Three of their 4 head-to-head meetings this season produced 7 or more goals, and both teams have leaned Over lately. Minnesota has hit it in 6 Overs in its last 9 games, while Dallas is 4-1 O/U in its last 5. With 2 capable offenses, this sets up for another high-scoring game.

For more sports betting picks and tips, check out SportsbookWire.com and BetFTW.

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