The Detroit Red Wings (31-16-4) face off against the Minnesota Wild (28-14-9) tonight, January 22, 2026, in a high-stakes cross-conference clash. Both teams are fighting to solidify their playoff positioning, with Detroit currently 2nd in the Atlantic and Minnesota 3rd in the Central.
Game Information
Time: 9:30 PM ET / 8:30 PM CT
Venue: Grand Casino Arena, Saint Paul, MN
TV: ESPN
Betting: Minnesota is a home favorite (-155 moneyline).
Key Storylines
Fatigue vs. Desperation: Detroit enters on the second night of a back-to-back after a gritty 2-1 overtime win against Toronto last night. Historically, Detroit has struggled in this spot, going 1-7 in their last eight “no-rest” games. Conversely, the Wild are desperate to snap a 5-game home losing streak.
Eriksson Ek Returns: The Wild receive a massive boost as top center Joel Eriksson Ek has been activated from IR and is expected to play tonight after missing six games.
Goaltending Matchup: With John Gibson starting last night for Detroit, Cam Talbot (11-7-3) is the projected starter against his former team. He faces Filip Gustavsson (16-9-5), who has been stellar for Minnesota with a 2.56 GAA.
Players to Watch
Player
Team
Notes
Lucas Raymond
DET
Leading Detroit with 54 points; has 17 points in his last 15 games.
Patrick Kane
DET
Just 3 points away from passing Mike Modano for the most points by a U.S.-born player.
Kirill Kaprizov
MIN
The Wild’s engine, leading the team with 59 points this season.
Moritz Seider
DET
Logs heavy minutes (25:16/game) and is currently +9 on the season.
