Schedule / Matchup Preview

Minnesota Wild vs Buffalo Sabres · Matchup Preview Based on 26-27 form — rosters current

Season 26-27
Matchup Preview @ Sabres · TUE · OCT 6 · 6:00 PM CT ← Back to schedule
Upcoming
TUE · OCT 6 · 6:00 PM CT
KeyBank Center
MINNHL · Wild+ · MSG-B
Minnesota Wild
Wild
2–0–0
@
Buffalo Sabres
Sabres
1–1–0
Upcoming
TUE · OCT 6 · 6:00 PM CT
MINNHL · Wild+ · MSG-B
Minnesota Wild
Away · Wild
2–0–0
4 PTS
VS
Puck Drop In
The read
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has Matt Boldy figured out, 19 shots without a goal. But Kirill Kaprizov has quietly owned this matchup, 5 points in the last 4 meetings.
KeyBank Center
Buffalo Sabres
Home · Sabres
1–1–0
2 PTS
Wild
GOALIES
Sabres
Jesper Wallstedt
Jesper Wallstedt
Expected
.957 SV% · 1.01 GAA · 2W
.935 SV% L5 · Locked in
VS
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Expected
.784 SV% · 4.03 GAA · 1W
.847 SV% L5 · Cooling
Wild
PROJECTED TOP LINES
Sabres
L1
Blake Coleman · Joel Eriksson Ek · Matt Boldy
L1
Josh Norris · Tage Thompson · Josh Doan
L2
Kirill Kaprizov · Danila Yurov · Maxim Shabanov
L2
Zach Benson · Noah Ostlund · Jack Quinn
L3
Yakov Trenin · Ryan Hartman · Bobby Brink
L3
Peyton Krebs · Ryan McLeod · Konsta Helenius
L4
Nick Foligno · Michael McCarron · Marcus Foligno
L4
Jiri Kulich · Sam Carrick · Beck Malenstyn
D1
Quinn Hughes · Jared Spurgeon
D1
Rasmus Dahlin · Mattias Samuelsson
D2
Olli Maatta · Jonas Brodin
D2
Owen Power · Olen Zellweger
D3
Daemon Hunt · Zach Bogosian
D3
Louis Crevier · Zach Metsa
PP1
Maxim Shabanov · Joel Eriksson Ek · Kirill Kaprizov · Quinn Hughes · Matt Boldy
PP1
Jack Quinn · Zach Benson · Josh Doan · Tage Thompson · Rasmus Dahlin
PP2
Blake Coleman · Danila Yurov · Ryan Hartman · Jared Spurgeon · Bobby Brink
PP2
Konsta Helenius · Ryan McLeod · Noah Ostlund · Owen Power · Josh Norris
PK1
Michael McCarron · Blake Coleman · Jonas Brodin · Jared Spurgeon
PK1
Ryan McLeod · Beck Malenstyn · Owen Power · Mattias Samuelsson
PK2
Joel Eriksson Ek · Matt Boldy · Olli Maatta · Zach Bogosian
PK2
Josh Norris · Zach Benson · Rasmus Dahlin · Louis Crevier
WildProjected lines
L1
Blake Coleman · Joel Eriksson Ek · Matt Boldy
L2
Kirill Kaprizov · Danila Yurov · Maxim Shabanov
L3
Yakov Trenin · Ryan Hartman · Bobby Brink
L4
Nick Foligno · Michael McCarron · Marcus Foligno
D1
Quinn Hughes · Jared Spurgeon
D2
Olli Maatta · Jonas Brodin
D3
Daemon Hunt · Zach Bogosian
PP1
Maxim Shabanov · Joel Eriksson Ek · Kirill Kaprizov · Quinn Hughes · Matt Boldy
PP2
Blake Coleman · Danila Yurov · Ryan Hartman · Jared Spurgeon · Bobby Brink
PK1
Michael McCarron · Blake Coleman · Jonas Brodin · Jared Spurgeon
PK2
Joel Eriksson Ek · Matt Boldy · Olli Maatta · Zach Bogosian
SabresProjected lines
L1
Josh Norris · Tage Thompson · Josh Doan
L2
Zach Benson · Noah Ostlund · Jack Quinn
L3
Peyton Krebs · Ryan McLeod · Konsta Helenius
L4
Jiri Kulich · Sam Carrick · Beck Malenstyn
D1
Rasmus Dahlin · Mattias Samuelsson
D2
Owen Power · Olen Zellweger
D3
Louis Crevier · Zach Metsa
PP1
Jack Quinn · Zach Benson · Josh Doan · Tage Thompson · Rasmus Dahlin
PP2
Konsta Helenius · Ryan McLeod · Noah Ostlund · Owen Power · Josh Norris
PK1
Ryan McLeod · Beck Malenstyn · Owen Power · Mattias Samuelsson
PK2
Josh Norris · Zach Benson · Rasmus Dahlin · Louis Crevier
Dylan Loucks · as of Oct 3 Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:06 AM CT
Wild
INJURY REPORT
Sabres
Brock Faber
IR · Skull (surgery) · Expected back Oct 15
Alex Lyon
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 6
Filip Gustavsson
IR · Hip (surgery) · Expected back Nov 1
Conor Timmins
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 17
Topias Leinonen
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 10
Jack Rathbone
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 24
Jason Zucker
IR · Abdomen (surgery) · Expected back Oct 15
WildInjury report
Brock Faber
IR · Skull (surgery) · Expected back Oct 15
Filip Gustavsson
IR · Hip (surgery) · Expected back Nov 1
SabresInjury report
Alex Lyon
IR · Upper body · Expected back Oct 6
Conor Timmins
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 17
Topias Leinonen
IR · Lower body · Expected back Oct 10
Jack Rathbone
IR · Undisclosed injury · Expected back Oct 24
Jason Zucker
IR · Abdomen (surgery) · Expected back Oct 15
Dylan Loucks · as of Oct 3 Last Game (2026-10-03) · Oct 4 · 6:06 AM CT
STORYLINE
The Wild have won 2 straight and are 2-0-0 in their first 2 games. The Sabres won their last game and are 1-1-0 in their first 2 games.

Matchup Intel

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has Matt Boldy figured out, 19 shots without a goal. But Kirill Kaprizov has quietly owned this matchup, 5 points in the last 4 meetings.

The numbers behind it
Matchup
Matt Boldy has 19 shots on Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen without a goal.
(Minnesota)
0/19 vs Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Player
Kirill Kaprizov has 5 points in his last 4 games against Buffalo. See the games →
(Minnesota)
5 pts, last 4 vs BUF