Panthers vs Wild Preview: Minnesota Hosts Beaten Up Florida as a Favorite
Minnesota About to Get Wild on Wounded Panthers?
NHL Odds Favor Wild in Home Opener
The Minnesota Wild are on the hot seat this 2023-24 season. After coming off another first-round exit, both the fans and ownership are getting restless. Thus, it behooves the Wild to start the season strongly. And it can do that against the Stanley Cup runner-ups, the Panthers. Based on this Panthers vs Wild preview and the odds, Minnesota should win, as Florida is undermanned and potentially exhausted.
Florida Panthers vs Minnesota Wild 
Date & Time:
Location: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN
Will Wounded Panthers Be Easy Prey?
This past season, Florida poured its heart and soul into reaching the Stanley Cup Final. And it cost the team almost everything. Florida may not have much to give and could just get beat by fresher teams like Minnesota.
“Last January, I knew I had to get these guys to walk through a gate they don’t want to walk through,” head coach Paul Maurice said about Florida’s hot run to the Final. “And then they did, and after that, it was just a whole hell of a lot of fun to come to the rink because you didn’t have to worry about anybody’s compete level.”
The Panthers enter the new season without many key players, including leading scorer and Hart Trophy finalist Matthew Tkachuk and star defensemen Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour. As such, the Panthers find themselves in a role they’re accustomed to: underdogs at even odds in this game: Panthers vs Wild preview.
Florida excelled as the underdog in the playoffs until it ran into Vegas. Still, we can’t underestimate this team, even in its hurt form. Florida has won five straight against Minnesota, after all.
This was a team that played one of the best 5-on-5 hockey, and the statistics showed it: Florida ranked in the top five in corsi, scoring chances, and expected goals differential. But inconsistent goaltending and shooting percentages had this team on the wrong side of NHL scores.
Sergei Bobrovsky returns in net after another epic albeit incomplete run in the postseason. He ran out of gas against Las Vegas. And if he’s slow to start, it’s not a good sign for Florida, given its challenging first four games on the NHL schedule.
Minnesota Starts Season Facing a Lot of Pressure
We won’t question the Panthers’ drive to compete. But even if their mind wills, their battered bodies may not follow. Minnesota, on the other hand, had another long offseason thanks to losing in the first round again. With Toronto advancing, all eyes now turn to Dean Evason and his Wild as the NHL’s new “one and done” team.
Minnesota has bowed out of the first round in its last seven postseason appearances. The fact that this team is eighth in point percentage in this span makes the early exits hurt even more. But backers can look to Minnesota’s consistently successful track record during the regular season.
The Wild’s 338 wins since 2015-16 are the seventh-most in the NHL. Other than Toronto, the other teams ahead of them made the Stanley Cup Final. Minnesota also has a team of veterans. Despite Marco Rossi and Matt Boldy, two of Minnesota’s prized NHL Draft picks, this team has grizzled players who have more than enough experience.
This team plays some of the best two-way hockey. Its grinding style has Minnesota ranked seventh in goals against last season, coupled with its totals pushing or going under 58.5% of the time – and that’s considering that over 28% of its games had a total at 5.5 or lower. Folks are already steaming the total here, at 6.5, to go under (-115).
Its style works in the regular season. But Minnesota will need to level up the offense. It can start in this Panthers vs Wild preview.
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