3 Stars-Wild bold predictions for 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff

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3 Stars-Wild bold predictions for 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff

Bryan Logan, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Thu, Apr 16, 2026 ·

7 min read

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One of the biggest match-ups in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs features two teams from the Central Division as the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild prepare to face off. Not only are the two teams playoff-bound, but the Stars and Wild are two of the best in the NHL .

The Stars will finish the regular season on Wednesday night against the Buffalo Sabres . Heading into the game with the Sabres, the team sits at 81-49-12, good for 110 points. Still, the team finished behind the Presidents' Trophy-winning Colorado Avalanche . The record is the third-best in the NHL and second-best in the Western Conference. The offense has been solid this year, sitting ninth in the NHL, scoring 3.33 goals per game while also having the second best powerplay in the league. Still, the hallmark of the team has been defense, as the Stars are second in the league in goals-against per game while sitting 13th on the penalty kill.

Meanwhile, the Wild have completed their regular season. The team finished season 46-24-12, which is good for 104 points. That placed them in third in the Central Division, and due to the structure of the playoffs, they will face the Stars, despite having the third-best record in the Western Conference. The team was 12th in goals per game, lighting the lamp 3.27 times per contest. Regardless, the powerplay ranked third in the NHL. Like the Stars, the Wild have a solid defense, sitting fourth in the NHL in goals-against per game and 15th on the penalty kill.

The Wild have been the epitome of consistency in recent years. This is the 12th time since 2013 that the Wild have made it to the playoffs, the most in the NHL in that time. Still, they have advanced to the second round just twice in that time, and last advanced to the Western Conference Finals in 2003, when they lost to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in four games. The Stars and Wild have faced each other twice in the playoffs before. In both situations, the Stars had home ice advantage, just as they do this year. Further, the Stars won both series four games to two.

This season, the two teams faced each other four times, splitting the four-game series. The home team won all four games this season.

Goaltending looms large

Solid goaltending wins series, and there may not be a better group of goaltenders in a series than those on the ice between the Stars and Wild. As a team, the Stars rank second in the league in goals-against average, and the Wild sits fourth. Meanwhile, the Wild are second in the NHL in save percentage, while the Stars are tied for seventh.

The primary netminders have been phenomenal for the two teams. Jake Oettinger played in 53 games, going 34-12-6 with a 2.59 goals agaisnt average and a .900 save percentage. Meanwhile, Filip Gustavsson went 28-15-6 in his 50 games for the Wild. He has a 2.69 goals against average and a .904 save percetnage. While both netminders have been great, the backup goalies have been just as good, giving both teams options if their primary option struggles.

Casey DeSmith has been the backup to Oettinger, going 15-8-6 with a 2.43 goals-against average and a .907 save percetnage. Meanwhile, Jesper Wallstedt has been behind Gustavsson, going 18-9-6 with a 2.61 goals against average and a .916 save percentage. If one of the primary netminders needs relief, the series could end up being decided by one of the two stellar backups.

Meanwhile, one of the biggest differences between the two groups is shot volume. While the Stars give up .17 goals less per game, the Wild goaltenders face 3.07 shots more per game. Based on the save percentage of the Wild, the shot difference could average two more goals to the Stars over the series, and in a tight series, it could be the difference. If the Wild can slow down the shot barrage of the Stars, their goaltending is strong enough to be the difference in the series, and give the Wild their first series win since 2015.

Wyatt Johnston is the star of the Stars

There are plenty of scoring options for the two teams in this game. The Wild have Kirill Kaprizov . In 78 games, he finished tied for fourth in the NHL with 45 goals, while also chipping in 44 assists this year. Meanwhile, Matt Boldy was a goal-scoring machine as well. He beat the netminder 42 times while dishing out 43 helpers. Further, the Wild have Quinn Hughes , who was fourth among blueliners with 76 points, while sitting tied for 32nd in the NHL.

For the Stars, Jason Robertson led the way. He found the back of the net 45 times, while chipping in another 51 assists, putting him tenth in the NHL in points. Mikko Rantanen was also solid, coming away with 22 goals and 55 assists on the season. Still, it is going to be Wyatt Johnston who is going to be the star for the Stars in this series. He finished 17th in the NHL in points, after lighting the lamp 45 times and adding 41 helpers. He set career highs in goals, assists, and points this year.

Johnston was great in the games with the Wild, all against Gustavsson. He found the back of the net twice, while adding three assists in four games. He had just one game without a point, and in both wins, he had a goal and an assist. Two of his five points came on the powerplay, and against a weaker penalty kill unit for the Wild, Johnston is going to be the difference. He is going to score at least three goals in the series while amassing seven points, keeping the series tight, and giving the Stars a chance to win, advancing to the second round for a fourth straight year.

Seven games are a lock

This series will be going all seven games, and that may not even be enough. The prior two series both went six games. The 2016 series between the two saw Minnesota win just once at home, and then again in overtime on the road. Still, just one game was more than a two-goal difference. The 2023 playoff series began with a double-overtime game with Gustavsson being the difference, and Minnesota stealing game one on the road. After a game three win, the Wild had a series lead, but they lost the last three games to lose the series.

Both teams are even more powerful this time around, and it was seen between the two teams this year. The first two games this season were not as close, with the Stars winning at home 5-2 as Oettinger stopped 39 of 41 shots. Still, that was before the Wild had traded for Quinn Hughes. The Wild won the second game 5-2, as they held the Stars to just 18 shots on goal.

The two most recent games have been tight. On March 21 in Minnesota, both netminders had a save percentage over .925, while the Wild won in overtime, 2-1. In the final game, on April 9, two third-period goals by the Stars gave them the 5-4 victory.

With how tight the two teams have played this year, and how well the two gave played all season, this is going to be a great series. It will be going seven games, with at least two overtime games. The two defensive units will be the stars of the show in Game 7, with the game needing at least one overtime to decide who advances in a series for the ages.

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