We're excited to see what Rangers prospect Gabe Perreault can do in his debut, but it's Igor Shesterkin who will prove to be the difference maker vs. the Wild.
This article contains predictions for an old game!
The New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild need as many points as they can get in the standings right now.
The Rangers are coming off a big win in San Jose and have had a couple of days to rest since. The Wild have lost four of their last five games and haven’t been able to find the back of the net very easily.
Find out why my Rangers vs. Wild predictions and NHL picks on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, favor the home team.
My best bet: Rangers 3-way moneyline (-105 at FanDuel)
My analysis
The New York Rangers have been such a hit-or-miss team all season, you never know what kind of effort you’re going to get. That said, if there has been one thing that has been constant of late, it’s been the play of Igor Shesterkin.
Over his last 10 starts, Shesterkin’s record hasn’t been all that glamorous, but the numbers have been solid. Shesterkin has skated to a .910 save percentage and a 2.74 goals-against average.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Wild have been the worst offensive team in the NHL since the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The Wild are scoring just 2.11 goals per game, and that’s to be expected when they’re missing their top offensive player in Kirill Kaprizov. The Wild have gone 4-4-2 in their last 10 games, but their spot in the playoffs has been slipping away. They sit six points ahead of the Calgary Flames in the second wild-card spot, but the Flames happen to have a game in hand.
Back to the Rangers. It’s an exciting night for the organization as their top prospect, Gabe Perreault — their first-round selection in the 2023 NHL draft — is set to make his NHL debut.
Perreault was a NCAA standout at Boston College for the past two seasons, as well as Team USA in the World Juniors, and tonight he will skate alongside J.T. Miller and Alexis Lafreniere. There are very high hopes and expectations for Perreault, who can help this team out offensively.
Rangers 3-way moneyline
Gabe Perreault 1+ points
Wild team total Under 2.5
There is a ton of excitement surrounding Perreault, as there should be. He was one of the best offensive players in all of college hockey over the past two seasons — 108 points in 73 games — and he’s been put in a position to succeed alongside players like Miller and Lafreniere.
The Wild’s group of forwards cannot be trusted right now. They have scored just nine goals in their last five games and have been struggling mightily to put the puck in the back of the net. It will be tough for them to beat Shesterkin tonight.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
The Minnesota Wild have lost four of their last five games. Find more NHL betting trends for Wild vs. Rangers.
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Jonny Lazarus has loved hockey for as long as he can remember. After his Division I playing career at UMass-Amherst and Mercyhurst University came to an end in 2020, he transitioned from being a player to working in the media. He might be young in his career, but he has made appearances in numerous places like the NHL, and Bleacher Report, and this season he will be doing color commentary for a selection of UMass-Amherst hockey games.
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