The Detroit Red Wings (14-11-2) and Columbus Blue Jackets (12-9-5) meet in the NHL tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. EST at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
The Blue Jackets are favored by -1.5 on the puck line, with the over/under set at 6.5 (-115o / -105u). The Blue Jackets are a -120 favorite to win outright, while the Red Wings are +100 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets predictions and NHL picks.
Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets Odds, Pick
| Red Wings Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -238 | 6.5 -115o / -105u | +100 |
| Blue Jackets Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +195 | 6.5 -115o / -105u | -120 |
- Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets Spread: Blue Jackets -1.5 (+195 ), Red Wings +1.5 (-238)
- Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets Over/Under: 6.5 (-115o / -105u)
- Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets Moneyline: Red Wings +100, Blue Jackets -120
Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets Preview
Detroit Red Wings
Just as I suspected. After the Red Wings started off the season red hot, in comes the fall from grace.
They’re fresh off a 5-4 win against Boston on Tuesday, but prior to that, they had lost four in a row. Now, the Wings are staring at a six-game road trip, where they hold a 5-5-1 record away from home.
I don’t want to come off as the guy who’s kicking a team while they’re down. However, this has been a trend we’ve noticed ever since the Red Wings began “going all-in.”
Start hot. Then, late November or early December comes around and they start losing.
Detroit’s 5-on-5 offense is hardly the problem. Even during this losing stretch, it’s played to an exceptional 54.19 xGF%, which is seventh amongst all teams. But defensively, it’s been sort of a disaster, playing to a 2.9 xGA/60.
Not just that, being able to stop pucks just hasn’t been Detroit’s forte. We’re long gone from the days of Dominik Hasek and Chris Osgood, and when the Wings traded for John Gibson, I thought it was going to be the best thing for them.
Only to find out that through 14 starts, he’s playing like one of the worst goalies in the league, with an .868 SV% and a -5.8 GSAx. It’s gotten so bad that he’s alternated starts with Cam Talbot, who’s a career backup.
It makes you wonder, as we see his former team, the Ducks, standing atop the Pacific Division… was he the problem?
Columbus Blue Jackets
Similar to their opponents, the Blue Jackets are going through a rough patch, but I don’t think many pegged them for a playoff appearance this season.
Columbus is coming off a solid 5-3 win against the New Jersey Devils on Monday, but prior to that, it was also victims of four straight losses.
It’s definitely been a rough stretch for the Jackets, as no one has really questioned their high-end talent, but the one glaring hole has been the lack of production from former key players in Cole Sillinger and Kent Johnson.
Even Adam Fantilli has undergone stretches where he’s been totally invisible.
I’ve always liked Dean Evason as a coach, but I’m a bit surprised at how he hasn’t managed to help the Jackets gain any sustained success. Offensively, they’re playing to a 48.38 xGF% in the past two weeks, and defensively, a 3.00 xGA/60.
It also doesn’t help that they have a bottom-five penalty kill, either.
Goaltending is yet another issue, but that may be resolved. I think Jet Greaves has been a pleasant surprise for this team, and he continues to up his game. Even though his SV% is at a .901, he’s posting a 9.4 GSAx, which indicates that he’s making the saves he’s supposed to be making.
The team in front of him just needs to quit leaving him out to dry.
Red Wings vs. Blue Jackets Prediction
This is a great opportunity for Columbus to stay on the saddle and knock Detroit off.
As of right now, the Red Wings have a one-point advantage over the Jackets, so this game holds a little more importance than most.
I have a lot more faith in the Blue Jackets, though, because even though the Wings are probably more top-heavy, Columbus is more than capable of holding its own, especially since Greaves will most likely be starting.
The Jackets are the slight favorite here to pull off the home win, and I don’t think it’s out of the question to go all in on them. The Wings' goaltending situation is a nightmare and I think either Gibson or Talbot will be seeing ghosts tonight.
Pick: Columbus Blue Jackets ML
