Minnesota vs Chicago Prediction 28 January 2026
🔊 Both teams recently suffered defeats to the reigning Stanley Cup champions within a day of each other, slightly denting their standings in the Western Conference table. Minnesota are struggling to recapture their form from the end of last year on home ice, while Chicago, conversely, have been performing better away than at their own arena. Can the Blackhawks improve their head-to-head record against Minnesota, or will the Wild remain unyielding? Let's delve into the history of this rivalry and the trends ahead of the NHL regular-season matchup on January 28th.
Head-to-Head
📊 Over the past five years, these teams have clashed 16 times in the NHL - with the Wild claiming victory in 15 of those encounters, while the Blackhawks managed just one win. This is an exceptionally rare statistic for head-to-head matchups in the NHL. Minnesota has been an unyielding fortress for the Hawks, as Chicago hasn't defeated them on the road in their last 8 games since 2020.
In the 2025/2026 season, their meeting in Chicago ended in overtime with a win for the visitors (4-3 OT). The Wild had to come from behind twice during the game, with Matt Boldy playing a pivotal role by contributing to three goals.
Head-to-head statistics Minnesota - Chicago
Minnesota Wild Team Overview
After a pre-Christmas winning streak of seven games, the Wild have hit a rough patch. John Hynes' team hasn't managed to win more than two consecutive matches in a month: first stumbling against San Jose (3-4 SO), then recently falling to Florida (3-4 OT). Despite this, Minnesota's playoff prospects remain strong, with their spot in the top three of the Central Division looking secure.
Until recently, only the Colorado Avalanche had a better home record in the West than the Wild. However, Minnesota now has six losses in their last seven games at the Grand Casino Arena, placing them in a questionable fifth position for average points at home (1.30).
Defenseman Zach Bogosian is nearing a return after a three-week injury layoff, while Jonas Brodin is expected back only after the Olympic break. In the matchup against the Panthers, Matt Boldy made his return to the ice, contributing 1+1 against Florida.
Match Results: Minnesota Wild
Chicago Blackhawks Team Overview
The past two weeks haven't been favorable for Chicago, with only two wins out of seven games. Following disappointing results against Florida (1-5) and Tampa Bay (1-2 OT), the Blackhawks (50 points in 52 games) have fallen behind Nashville Predators and now trail the top eight in the West by five points.
The team's road performances have been inconsistent; Chicago ended 2025 on a six-game losing streak, conceding 29 goals during that stretch. However, under Jeff Blashill's leadership, they've secured four away wins since the new year, although only one was in regulation time against Nashville (3-0).
Finnish forward Teuvo Teravainen is expected to return by the end of the week for the game against the Penguins, but he will miss the matchup in Minnesota.
Match Results: Chicago Blackhawks
⚡️ Key Players
The main force in the Wild's offense is Russian Kirill Kaprizov. The forward has racked up 64 points (28 goals, 36 assists) this season, placing him sixth in the NHL. Additionally, Kaprizov is on a five-game point streak, during which the 28-year-old has collected 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists). Veteran Mats Zuccarello has also been impressive in recent games for the Wild, with 3 goals and 6 assists over five contests.
The Blackhawks' top scorer this season, 20-year-old Connor Bedard (20 goals, 28 assists), has been unable to register a point in three consecutive games. Russian forward Ilya Mikheyev has drawn attention with his performance, tallying 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists) across the last four matchups.
🥅 Goaltenders
Minnesota's Swedish goaltending duo boasts the best shutout record this season. Jesper Wallstedt and Filip Gustavsson have combined for 7 shutouts, with Wallstedt's four clean sheets ranking him among the top three in the NHL. He also ranks fifth in save percentage at 91.4%.
In their previous game, Chicago's goalie Spencer Knight conceded 4 goals from 24 shots against the Panthers, marking his worst performance of the year with an 83.3% save percentage. Despite this, Knight's season average is a solid 91.1%, keeping him in the top 10 for both save percentage and shutouts (3).
Editorial Prediction
Despite Chicago's dismal head-to-head record against Minnesota, many of their recent losses have been fiercely contested battles. In four of the last five encounters, the Blackhawks have either won, forced overtime, or lost by just a single goal.
Their current winning streak on the road gives Chicago hope, while the looming threat of missing the playoffs adds urgency to their efforts. We expect the Blackhawks to put up a fight against their nearly unbeatable opponent-Chicago will cover the spread (+1.5).
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Betting Tips: Minnesota Wild - Chicago Blackhawks
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