Venue: Grand Casino Arena (formerly Xcel Energy Center), St. Paul, Minnesota
Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET
Broadcast on (ESPN+, Wild+, Scripps Sports / regional networks).
Two of the Western Conference’s strongest early teams meet for the first time this season. Vegas enters on a four-game winning streak after an overtime victory over the Kings, while Minnesota has been stingy defensively and is coming off a solid road win.
Current Projected Rosters / Line Combinations
Golden Knights (projected):
Forwards:
Ivan Barbashev – Jack Eichel – Mark Stone
Brett Howden – William Karlsson – Mitch Marner
Trevor Connelly – Tomas Hertl – Raphael Lavoie (or similar depth options)
Nicolas Hague/Bowman – Nic Dowd – Michael Gatcomb Defense:
Brayden McNabb – Shea Theodore
Noah Hanifin – Rasmus Andersson (or Wotherspoon)
Jeremy Lauzon – additional pairings Goalies: Carter Hart (projected starter in many reports; solid early numbers) / Adin Hill.
Wild (projected):
Forwards:
Kirill Kaprizov – Joel Eriksson Ek – Matt Boldy
Blake Coleman – Ryan Hartman – Maxim Shabanov
Yakov Trenin – Danila Yurov – Bobby Brink
Nico Sturm – Michael McCarron – Rieger Lorenz Defense:
Quinn Hughes – Jared Spurgeon
Jonas Brodin – Olli Maatta (status pending)
Daemon Hunt – Zach Bogosian (status pending) or David Spacek Goalies: Jesper Wallstedt (projected starter; strong early form) / Calvin Pickard.
Lineups are subject to final confirmation closer to puck drop, especially with day-to-day players.
Injury Reports
Golden Knights:
Victor Olofsson (LW, undisclosed) — out (week-to-week).
Lukas Cormier (D, undisclosed), Ben Hemmerling (RW, undisclosed), Kai Uchacz (C, undisclosed) — out (IR/non-roster).
Alex Pietrangelo (D, hip) — long-term IR.
Wild:
Filip Gustavsson (G, hip) — out (LTIR; expected November return).
Brock Faber (D, skull fracture) — out (IR; no firm timetable, possibly mid-October).
Nick Foligno (LW, upper body) — out (IR).
Marcus Foligno (LW, lower body), Zach Bogosian (D, lower body), Olli Maatta (D, lower body) — day-to-day.
Minnesota is missing key defensive pieces and its No. 1 goalie, while Vegas is relatively healthier up front but missing some depth.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Star power: Jack Eichel (leading early point producer for Vegas) and the Stone-Barbashev line against Kirill Kaprizov–Matt Boldy–Joel Eriksson Ek. This top-line battle will heavily influence possession and scoring chances.
Defense: Shea Theodore / Brayden McNabb pair vs. Quinn Hughes’ mobility and Jared Spurgeon’s experience. Minnesota’s blue line is depleted without Faber.
Goaltending: Carter Hart (or Adin Hill) vs. Jesper Wallstedt, who has performed well in Gustavsson’s absence.
Special teams: Both clubs have shown early power-play strength; Minnesota’s PK has been excellent, while Vegas generates volume.
Recent Team Forms
Golden Knights (5-1-0): Four-game win streak, including a 2-1 OT win over Los Angeles on Oct. 10 (Marner OT winner). Strong offensive output and road record (2-0-0). Jack Eichel has been dominant early.
Wild (3-1-1): Solid start with a +6 goal differential. Recent 4-1 win at Florida. Excellent defensive metrics and goaltending from Wallstedt. Home record 1-0-0; overall very competitive despite injuries.
Series History
Vegas holds a slight all-time edge (approximately 23-20-1 including playoffs). The clubs have met in the playoffs twice (Vegas won both series: 2021 and 2025). Recent regular-season games have been competitive and often low-scoring or decided by one goal/OT. This is the first 2026-27 meeting.
Betting Trends
Minnesota has been strong against the total early (unders trending). Vegas has been productive offensively but faces a tough defensive environment and travel. Public may lean toward the hotter Golden Knights.
Game Odds
Vegas Golden Knights 6
Minnesota Wild – 112
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Sunday, October 11, 2026
