Puck drop: 9:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. MT)
Venue: Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah
TV: MINNHL / Wild+ (Minnesota), Mammoth+ / Utah16 (Utah); ESPN+ in many markets
This is a key early-season Central Division clash between two of the top teams in the West. The Wild enter as the division leaders (or near the top) wrapping up a five-game road trip on a two-game winning streak, while the Mammoth sit close behind and look to build on a recent overtime home win. Both clubs feature strong offensive talent and solid structure.
Current Player Rosters & Projected Lineups
Minnesota Wild (projected):
Forwards: Kirill Kaprizov – Joel Eriksson Ek – Matt Boldy; Maxim Shabanov – Danila Yurov – Yakov Trenin; Blake Coleman – Michael McCarron – Bobby Brink; Nico Sturm – Ryan Hartman – Tyler Pitlick.
Defense: Quinn Hughes – Jared Spurgeon; Jonas Brodin – Olli Maatta; Matt Kiersted – Zach Bogosian.
Goalies: Jesper Wallstedt (projected starter) / Calvin Pickard. Scratches typically include David Spacek and Mason Shaw. Kaprizov leads a potent top line with Boldy and Eriksson Ek; Quinn Hughes anchors the blue line.
Utah Mammoth (projected):
Forwards: Clayton Keller – Nick Schmaltz – Lawson Crouse; Logan Cooley – Vincent Trocheck – Dylan Guenther; Anders Lee – Barrett Hayton – Kailer Yamamoto; Jack McBain – Kevin Stenlund – Liam O’Brien.
Defense: Mikhail Sergachev – Mackenzie Weegar; Nate Schmidt – Andrew Peeke; Dmitri Simashev – Nick DeSimone.
Goalies: Karel Vejmelka (projected starter) / Sebastian Cossa. Scratches often include Artem Duda and Daniil But. Keller, Schmaltz, Cooley, and Guenther form a dangerous scoring core; the defense is mobile.
Listed Injury Reports
Wild:
Brock Faber (D): Out (skull fracture; longer-term).
Filip Gustavsson (G): Out (hip; multi-week absence).
Marcus Foligno (F): Out (lower body).
Nick Foligno (F): Out (upper body).
Mammoth:
Maveric Lamoureux (D): Out (shoulder; longer-term post-surgery).
Michael Carcone (F): Out (upper body).
John Marino (D): Out (upper body).
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Kirill Kaprizov / Matt Boldy / Joel Eriksson Ek vs. Mikhail Sergachev / Mackenzie Weegar: Minnesota’s elite top line against Utah’s top defensive pair. Kaprizov’s scoring and Boldy’s two-way game will test the Mammoth’s mobility.
Clayton Keller / Nick Schmaltz / Logan Cooley / Dylan Guenther vs. Quinn Hughes / Jared Spurgeon and secondary pairs: Utah’s skilled, high-volume attack against Minnesota’s strong defensive structure and
Hughes’ elite skating/offense from the back end.
Special teams battle: Utah boasts one of the league’s best power plays early (~38%); Minnesota’s PP is also strong (~26%) with a solid PK. Faceoffs lean slightly toward Utah.
Goaltending – Jesper Wallstedt vs. Karel Vejmelka: Wallstedt has been excellent (strong GAA/SV% in limited/primary duty). Vejmelka provides solid home form for Utah.
Physical/secondary matchups: Blake Coleman and Minnesota’s depth vs. Utah’s bottom-six energy.
Recent Team Forms
Wild: Strong overall, with recent back-to-back road wins (including over Seattle and Vancouver). Elite defensive metrics (among league-best GA/GP) and consistent scoring from Kaprizov, Boldy, and supporting cast. Closing a longer road trip.
Mammoth: Competitive and high-scoring (top-tier GF/GP), coming off an OT win over Tampa Bay. Strong home record and dangerous special teams, though defensive consistency has varied. Ranked near the top of the Central.
Series History
First meeting of the 2026-27 season. In prior seasons (when Utah was the franchise in Arizona or early Utah years), matchups have been competitive, with Utah taking a share of recent series. Home ice has often been a factor.
Betting Trends
Trends favor a competitive, higher-event game given both teams’ offensive capabilities and Utah’s home PP strength. Minnesota’s defensive identity and road form keep the underdog competitive.
Game Odds
Minnesota Wild 6.5
Utah Mammoth – 120
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Monday, October 26, 2026
