Wild vs. Capitals Prediction, NHL Odds & Best Bets (11/1)

Fact checked at 8:21 AM ET, Nov 1, 2026

Odds as of 7:29 AM ET, Nov 1, 2026

The Wild (9-3-3) visit the Capitals (8-4-0) at Capital One Arena for a 3:30 PM ET puck drop on MNMT and MINNHL, and the market can't split them at -110 on both sides. Our angle is who does Washington's work now. The Capitals have won three straight and scored nine goals in their last two, a 5-2 win over Philadelphia and a 4-3 win in Nashville, and neither Tom Wilson nor Alex Ovechkin had a point in either game. We expect more of that whatever the final score: Wilson off the scoresheet, Ovechkin short of three shots, and rookie defenseman Cole Hutson getting pucks to the net.

Minnesota's coach has named Jesper Wallstedt his starter, and Logan Thompson is projected for Washington. The total is 6.5 with the Under at -129, and the Under holds 70% of the bets and 76% of the money. Forward lines and defense pairs below are projections. Player props may settle differently in overtime at different books.

Wild vs. Capitals Predictions

• Pick #1: Tom Wilson Under 0.5 Points (-130)
• Pick #2: Alex Ovechkin Under 2.5 Shots on Goal (-180)
• Pick #3: Cole Hutson Over 1.5 Shots on Goal (-125)

PICK #1: Tom Wilson Under 0.5 Points (-130)

Wilson has gone eight straight games without a point, and it isn't for lack of ice. He played between 16:44 and 20:49 in that stretch, with three or more shots on net in five of the eight. He's scoreless in 9 of 12 this season against the 56.5% that -130 implies. Twelve games isn't many, and last season argues the other way: he was scoreless in only 29 of 72, or 40.3%, which doesn't clear this price.

So you're betting on his current job. Washington's points run through Alex Tuch, Dylan Strome and Jordan Kyrou, who have 12, 12 and 11. Wilson is projected on a separate line with Aliaksei Protas and Pierre-Luc Dubois, a group with a checking job as well as a scoring one, and he has no power-play points in 12 games. Minnesota allows 2.33 goals a game, second-fewest in the league, and Wallstedt is 8-2-3 with a 2.14 goals-against average.

The worry is that he's projected on the first power-play unit, and the Wild have been short-handed 47 times in 15 games. They're also without Jared Spurgeon and Brock Faber on the blue line, and they gave up four in their last game, a 4-3 overtime loss to the Islanders.

PICK #2: Alex Ovechkin Under 2.5 Shots on Goal (-180)

At 41, in his 22nd and final season, Ovechkin is on the projected third line with Ilya Protas and Anthony Beauvillier, and he's played under 12 minutes in each of his last three games. He averages 13:32 this season after 17:26 last season. His coach, Spencer Carbery, has said he's comfortable with "right around this 13, 14, 15" minutes.

He's stayed under 2.5 shots in 10 of 12 games, and -180 implies 64.3%. That's a steep price on a small set of games, and only the role change justifies it. Last season he stayed under in just 31 of 82, or 37.8%, and even in the 12 games he played 15 minutes or less, he was under only six times. But he has 19 shots this season, about one every eight and a half minutes, against one every six last season. At 12 minutes, even last season's pace gets him to about two, and the Wild allow only about 25 shots a game.

It doesn't take him long to beat this number, though. He took three shots in 10:56 at Nashville and he's still on the first power-play unit, so a couple of Minnesota penalties could change things quickly. If Washington moves him up the lineup, the case weakens.

PICK #3: Cole Hutson Over 1.5 Shots on Goal (-125)

Hutson is the younger side of the same shift in Washington. The 20-year-old leads all rookie defensemen with seven points, four of them goals, including two on two shots at Nashville. He's topped 1.5 shots in 8 of 12 games, and -125 implies 55.6%. Twelve games is thin here too, but with last season's 7 of 14 he's at 15 of 26, or 57.7%, which still clears it.

Third-pair minutes with Jack St. Ivany shouldn't scare you off. Hutson has played under 19 minutes seven times this season and cleared this number in six of them, with three shots in three of those games. He's also projected on the second power-play unit, and he and St. Ivany have been on the ice for four goals for and none against in their two games together.

His volume does swing. He had one shot against Philadelphia and none in 22:32 against Buffalo. Washington averages only 27.8 shots a game, and Minnesota allows about 25.

21+ (18+ where permitted). Odds subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.