This Wild vs. Sabres prediction starts in the crease, because the moneyline barely separates these teams. Buffalo sits at -112 and Minnesota at -108, with the total at 6.5. The Wild arrive unbeaten behind a hot young goaltender. Meanwhile, the Sabres turn to a netminder making his first start of the season. Below, we work through the goaltending, the special teams and the market before landing on two plays for Tuesday night.
Last Updated: October 6, 2026
Minnesota Wild vs. Buffalo Sabres — Game Info
| Where | KeyBank Center, Buffalo New York |
| When | October 6 – 7:00 PM ET |
| TV | MSG, Wild+ |
Minnesota Wild vs. Buffalo Sabres Betting Preview
Jesper Wallstedt is projected to start for Minnesota. He is 2-0-0 with a 1.01 goals-against average and a .957 save percentage, allowing two goals on 47 shots. He stopped 26 of 27 in Saturday’s 4-1 win over Boston, per CBS Sports’ report on Wallstedt’s win over the Bruins. Filip Gustavsson remains out after offseason hip surgery, so Calvin Pickard is the backup. Wallstedt went 18-9-6 with a 2.61 goals-against average and four shutouts in 35 appearances last season.
Buffalo is expected to start Colten Ellis, according to the Sabres’ Monday practice report on Ellis. Ellis went 8-4-2 with a 2.90 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage in 16 games last season. He also beat Minnesota in November, making 22 saves in a 3-2 shootout win. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen started the first two games and posted a .784 save percentage. Alex Lyon remains out with an upper-body injury. Neither starter is officially confirmed yet, so this read is provisional.
Minnesota opened 2-0-0 with a 3-1 win in Nashville and the 4-1 home win over Boston. Kirill Kaprizov has three goals, and Quinn Hughes has a goal and two assists. The Wild have killed all eight penalties they have taken. However, defenseman Brock Faber is out after surgery for a skull fracture suffered in the preseason, and Danila Yurov is day-to-day.
Buffalo is 1-1-0. The Sabres lost 6-3 in Columbus, then edged Chicago 4-3 in the home opener while outshooting the Blackhawks 28-15. Jiri Kulich scored the winner, his first goal in 11 months after a blood clot. Jason Zucker and Conor Timmins are on injured reserve. Last season, Buffalo won the Atlantic Division, while Minnesota finished 46-24-12. Both meetings went past regulation. Buffalo won 3-2 in a shootout in St. Paul, and Minnesota won 5-4 in overtime in Buffalo. Both teams last played Saturday, so neither carries a rest edge.
Minnesota Wild vs. Buffalo Sabres Odds
| Puck Line | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wild | +1.5 (-280) | -108 | O 6.5 (+102) |
| Sabres | -1.5 (+230) | -112 | U 6.5 (-122) |
Odds accurate as of October 6, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NHL Odds – Futures – Props
Minnesota Wild vs. Buffalo Sabres — Who Is the Public Betting?
| Wild | 43% | 57% | Sabres |
See the latest NHL Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
Wild vs. Sabres Prediction — Is Wallstedt’s .957 Start the Edge Against Ellis?
Goaltending is the largest input in this game, and it tilts toward Minnesota. Wallstedt has been sharp in both starts, and he was a capable starter across 35 games last season. Ellis, by contrast, posted a .903 save percentage in a part-time role last season and has not faced NHL shots yet this season. The Wild’s structure has also helped. Their penalty kill is perfect so far, which removes one of Buffalo’s easier paths to goals.
The price asks very little. At -108, the break-even rate is about 51.9%. Our read puts Minnesota slightly above that, mostly on the crease. The market offers no confirmation, though. The moneyline and the total sit exactly where they opened, and 57% of puck line tickets are on Buffalo. That split is not lopsided enough to read as a signal. As a result, this grades as a lean rather than a strong play.
The case against is real. Two starts is a tiny sample, and a .957 save percentage will not hold. Buffalo was the better team last season, plays at home, and dominated the shot count against Chicago. Minnesota is also without Faber on the back end. Still, both meetings last season reached overtime, so we want a vehicle that pays if this goes past 60 minutes. The full-game moneyline includes overtime and the shootout. Laying -280 on the Wild’s +1.5 is too expensive, and a late empty-net goal can turn a one-goal loss into a two-goal loss.
The Pick: Wild Moneyline (-108)
Wild vs. Sabres Prediction — Three Power-Play Goals in Two Games Meets a Kill That Leaked in Columbus
Minnesota’s power play has scored three times in two games, including two goals on eight chances against Boston. Kaprizov plays on the top unit and scored one of those power-play goals himself. He also finished last season with 45 goals and 89 points. On the other side, Buffalo’s penalty kill allowed two power-play goals in the loss at Columbus. This prop is a game prop with no opening line, so there is no market movement to read.
At +130, the break-even rate is about 43.5%. The risk is volume. Power-play points depend on penalty calls, and eight chances in one game is unusual. If Buffalo stays out of the box, this play has little runway. In addition, it overlaps with the first pick, since a productive Wild power play also helps Minnesota win. Treat it as a lean with a thinner edge than the side.
The Pick: Kirill Kaprizov To Record 1 Or More Powerplay Points (+130)
Our Final Word on Wild vs. Sabres
This game is priced as a coin flip, and the goaltending decides which way we lean. Watch for official confirmation of both starters before puck drop, since either change would shift the read. We passed on the total of 6.5. Minnesota’s two games produced four and five goals, while Buffalo’s produced nine and seven. Last season’s meetings finished 3-2 and 5-4, so the history splits as well. The Under is priced at -122, which needs about 54.9% to break even. That price already reflects the Wild’s strong start in net. Meanwhile, Buffalo’s offense and Ellis’s average numbers keep the Over alive, so neither side clears the bar. Our first play is the Wild moneyline at -108, backed by Wallstedt’s form against an Ellis season debut. Our second play is Kirill Kaprizov to record one or more power-play points at +130, backed by a red-hot Minnesota power play. For more from tonight’s slate, see our Predators vs. Maple Leafs prediction and our Hurricanes vs. Canadiens prediction.
NHL Wild vs. Sabres FAQ: October 6, 2026
What time does the Wild vs. Sabres game start?
The Wild and Sabres face off at 7:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. That is 6:00 p.m. Central time for viewers in Minnesota. The game opens a three-game road trip for the Wild, who visit Tampa Bay on Thursday and Florida on Saturday.
What channel is the Wild vs. Sabres game on?
The game airs on MSG in the Buffalo market and on Wild+ for Minnesota viewers, with puck drop at 7:00 p.m. ET. Each team’s own broadcast carries the game for its home audience, so the channel you need depends on where you are watching from.
Where are the Wild and Sabres playing?
The Wild and Sabres play at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York, the home arena of the Sabres. It is Buffalo’s second home game of the season, after the Sabres beat Chicago 4-3 in their home opener on Saturday night. Minnesota is playing its first road game since the season opener in Nashville.
What is the Wild’s record this season?
The Wild are 2-0-0 this season after beating Nashville 3-1 on the road and Boston 4-1 at home. Buffalo enters at 1-1-0 after a 6-3 loss in Columbus and a 4-3 home win over Chicago. Minnesota has allowed just two goals across its first two games.
Who won the last meeting between the Wild and Sabres?
The Wild won the last meeting 5-4 in overtime on January 17, 2026, in Buffalo. Mats Zuccarello ended it with a power-play goal 1:46 into overtime. Buffalo had won the earlier meeting 3-2 in a shootout in St. Paul in November, so both games last season went past regulation.