WILD GAMEDAY
vs. Edmonton at Xcel Energy Center: 8 p.m. Tuesday
TV; radio: BSN; 100.3 FM
Stats and analytics: Tap here.
Pregame reading: Legalized sports gambling continues to be a hot topic; Star Tribune reporter Rochelle Olson took a look at one of the major issues to consider.
For the fans: NHL superstar Connor McDavid will miss Edmonton’s only regular-season game at Xcel Energy Center this season after getting hurt over the weekend.
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Sarah McLellan’s preview:
Opening bell: This showdown with Edmonton looked much more intimidating a few weeks ago. The Oilers entered the season hyped as a Stanley Cup contender but since the puck dropped, they’ve sputtered, winning only once after getting creamed 8-1 by Vancouver in their opener. Now, Edmonton (1-3-1) is without McDavid. The Wild (2-2-1) have their own issues, but not having to face McDavid — who paced the NHL in goals (64), assists (89) and points (153) last season — is significant. F Vinni Lettieri is poised to make his Wild debut after getting called up from the minors. D Jon Merrill (maintenance) didn’t practice on Monday, but the team expects Merrill should be fine to play. The Wild do have an extra defenseman after adding Daemon Hunt from Iowa in the American Hockey League.
Watch him: With McDavid sidelined, the spotlight on Oilers C Leon Draisaitl intensifies and Draisaitl has delivered in the past in this situation. He had four goals and eight assists in the six games McDavid was out injured in February 2020; that same season, Draisaitl led the NHL in scoring (110 points) and was crowned league MVP.
Injuries: Wild RW Matt Boldy (upper body), D Alex Goligoski (lower body) and D Jared Spurgeon (upper body); Oilers C McDavid (upper body).
Forecast: The Wild have matched up well against the Oilers in recent seasons, winning eight of the past nine meetings. But if the Wild surrender 50-plus shots and struggle to exit their own zone like they did Saturday in their 5-4 overtime loss to Columbus, they could be in for a long night — even against a struggling Oilers lineup missing McDavid.
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