The Carolina Hurricanes (46-21-6) and Columbus Blue Jackets (38-24-12) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Hurricanes are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 6.5 (-105o / -115u). The Hurricanes are a -135 favorite to win outright, while the Blue Jackets are +112 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Hurricanes vs. Blue Jackets predictions and NHL picks.
Hurricanes vs. Blue Jackets Odds, Pick
| Hurricanes Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +180 | 6.5 -105o / -115u | -135 |
| Blue Jackets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -225 | 6.5 -105o / -115u | +112 |
- Hurricanes vs. Blue Jackets Spread: Hurricanes -1.5 (+180), Blue Jackets +1.5 (-225)
- Hurricanes vs. Blue Jackets Over/Under: 6.5 (-105o / -115u)
- Hurricanes vs. Blue Jackets Moneyline: Hurricanes -135, Blue Jackets +112
Hurricanes vs Blue Jackets Polymarket Odds
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Current odds: HUR 55% · BLU 46% · NHL
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Hurricanes vs. Blue Jackets Preview
Carolina Hurricanes
The Eastern Conference is a dogfight. But the Hurricanes have nothing to immediately worry about, as they hold the best record in the conference with the Lightning.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that Rod “The Bod” Brind’Amour has these boys buzzing around the clock, but the one question will be whether Carolina shows up in the playoffs.
The Canes are like the Oilers of the East.
It’s a perfectly well-rounded team, ranking near the top in nearly every offensive and defensive category. The Canes have spread the wealth perfectly. Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis are an unbelievable 1-2 punch, while Andrei Svechnikov, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Jackson Blake all have chipped in for 20 goals.
For the time being, Carolina’s objective is just to stay alive and not choke, which I don’t think should be a problem.
But here’s where it starts to remind me of Edmonton.
The only concern that I’ll continue to have for this franchise is goaltending, as Freddie Andersen is as inconsistent as you can possibly imagine, and Brandon Bussi has taken a massive fall from grace.
Both Andersen and Bussi have posted a 1.5 GSAx or worse throughout this 10-game stretch, with Bussi ranking in the bottom-10.
Good thing they signed him to a three-year contract!
Columbus Blue Jackets
In that dogfight, the Blue Jackets are vying for control of either a spot in the Metro or just a Wild Card spot. At this point, they’ll take anything.
Columbus was on fire, but now the Jackets are starting to dip into panic mode. They’ve lost four out of their last five games, with one of them being in overtime on Sunday against the Bruins.
My kiss of death gave Columbus a win in regulation on Sunday, so naturally, it comes out with the most embarrassing possible outcome: a loss in overtime.
Luckily, the Jackets have a solid foundation. Though they could be better 5-on-5 on offense, their defense is sound, and they have a quality goaltender in Jet Greaves, who’s posting a .910 SV% and a 5.0 GSAx in his last 10.
Even though Greaves fell to the B’s, I’m still a believer. He just needs support on the offensive end, which he hasn’t gotten.
Kirill Marchenko, Charlie Coyle, Adam Fantilli and Zach Werenski are the Jackets' leading scorers and between the four of them, they’ve only accounted for two goals, which is hardly the endorsement you’re looking for in one of the most important stretches of the season.
With the urgency level to the max and the East’s best team coming into town, Columbus will need to pull out all the stops.
Hurricanes vs. Blue Jackets Prediction
This game could go either way. Obviously, it’s clear that the Hurricanes are the better team here, and you’d expect some sort of surge from the Jackets.
The one saving grace Columbus has for itself is that it’s phenomenal in front of its home fans. The Jackets hold a 20-9-8 record at home, and already took the Hurricanes to the cleaners at Nationwide Arena earlier this month with a 5-1 win.
Carolina is kind of in no man’s land right now, which isn’t the worst thing, as it waits for the playoffs. I still worry about goaltending and before this weak stretch, Columbus was giving us really exciting hockey from Werenski, Marchenko, and Co.
I may end up putting my foot in my mouth, especially since my track record over the past two weeks is akin to a newcomer betting on teams because they like the colors of their jerseys.
But Columbus at plus-money is calling my name. The Jackets have the most to lose, and with Rick Bowness as a coach, I don’t see them going down without a fight. They already have Carolina’s number from two weeks ago, and if anything, the Canes have shown vulnerability on the road.
Let’s take the Jackets here.
Pick: Blue Jackets ML (+115, FanDuel)
