Will Rogers

THE PLAY: Minnesota Wild -150

My complimentary selection is on the Minnesota Wild. The Wild are off to a strong start with a 1-0 record, coming off a commanding 5-0 shutout victory. Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets are 0-1, still searching for their first win. The Wild have dominated this matchup, winning three consecutive games against Columbus and holding a 6-1 record over the last seven meetings. 

Wild Minnesota goalie Filip Gustavsson, who was in net for the 5-0 win, learned his lesson two seasons ago. Gustavsson was also coming off a shutout victory to start the 2023-24 campaign, as he blanked the Florida Panthers in the season opener. Then, he stumbled, allowing seven goals in the next game. That's unlikely to happen again. 

Gustavsson commented: "But then I had a bad second game against Toronto. So I'm going to have to get better the second game."

Importantly, the betting odds for this game are more reasonable compared to the -265 price tag when Minnesota last hosted Columbus. Play on Minnesota

THE PLAY: Pittsburgh Steelers -225

My selection is on the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Browns have a long history of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, like their collapse in London on Sunday despite leading. Sure, they've had occasional bright spots, but disappointment is the norm for Cleveland fans. This season, the Browns are 1-4, with two tight losses and two routs, struggling to score more than anyone else while playing solid defense—typical Browns.

In contrast, the Steelers excel at winning close games, sitting at 3-1 with two victories by three points or fewer and one by seven. Both teams faced Minnesota in Europe recently, but Pittsburgh had a bye week to rest. While the Browns have had some success against the Steelers in Cleveland, they’ve dropped their last four games in Pittsburgh. It may or may not be close but either way, the Steelers are likely to end up on top. Play on Pittsburgh