Columbus Blue Jackets vs Minnesota Wild NHL Betting Prediction

NHL Blue Jackets vs Minnesota Wild Prediction 10/10/2024

 

Blue Jackets vs Wild

columbus blue jackets nhl

The Columbus Blue Jackets Look To Start Their Season With A Win

Last season, the Blue Jackets finished last in the Metropolitan Division and 15th in the Eastern Conference with a 27-43-12 record. Of their 27 wins, 18 were by multiple goals, while 9 were one-goal victories. Against the puck line, Columbus went 18-64.

At home, the Blue Jackets were 17-19-5, while on the road, they finished 10-24-7. As favorites, they went 4-2-1, and as underdogs, they were 41-41-11. Their over/under record was 39-38-5, with an average line of 6.5 goals per game.

The Minnesota Wild Look To Start Their Season With A Win

Last season, the Blue Jackets finished 21st in the NHL with a 39-33-10 record, placing them 10th in the Western Conference with a 24-26 mark in those games. In the Western Central, they went 9-17, finishing 6th. At home, Columbus was 20-15-6, while on the road, they were 19-18-4.

As favorites, the Blue Jackets went 26-8-5, and as underdogs, they were 25-25-5. Their overall puck line record was 27-55. Their games averaged 6.3 goals, with an average total line of 6.1. Their over/under record was 40-38-4.

Columbus Offense Breakdown

Last season, Columbus ranked 21st in the NHL in scoring, averaging 2.9 goals per game. They were 24th in assists. The Blue Jackets finished 20th in shots on goal, averaging 29.7 per game, and were 22nd in power play goals.

Interestingly, Columbus was 3rd in fewest giveaways, but they were 10th in shorthanded goals scored.

Wild Offense Breakdown

minnesota wild

Heading into their season opener against Columbus, the Wild are looking to improve on last season’s offensive performance, where they ranked 18th in the NHL with 3 goals per game. They were 17th in assists. Minnesota averaged 30 shots on goal per game, placing them 19th in the league.

One area where the Wild excelled was in limiting giveaways, finishing 7th fewest in the NHL. They were also effective in shorthanded situations, ranking 11th in shorthanded goals. Additionally, Minnesota’s power play was a strength, ranking 7th in the league.

Columbus Team Defense

Last season, Columbus ranked 27th in the NHL for goals allowed, giving up 3.4 goals per game on average. They also ranked 27th in shots on goal allowed, with opponents averaging 34.2 shots per game. In terms of takeaways, the Blue Jackets were 21st in the league.

Despite their struggles, Columbus did record one shutout last season, which ranked 8th in the NHL. They were 29th in defensive hits.

Minnesota Team Defense

Last season, the Wild finished 19th in the NHL for goals allowed, giving up an average of three goals per game. They ranked 25th in takeaways but managed to record six shutouts, the third-most in the league. Opponents averaged 29.6 shots on goal per game against Minnesota, placing them 19th in the NHL.

Blue Jackets vs Wild Trends

  • In their last five games away from home, the Blue Jackets have a straight up record of 0-5 while going 1-4 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 1 goals per game in these contests.
  • Although Minnesota has a straight up record of 1-4 in their last five home games, they have not held up as well vs the puck line going 1-4. The team averaged 2 goals per game in these games.
  • Going back to their previous three games as the underdog, Minnesota has an puck line mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.
  • Looking back on the team’s last ten games as the favorite, the Blue Jackets have a straight up record of 5-5. Their record vs the puck line in these games was 4-6.

Blue Jackets vs Wild Prediction

If you’re considering a direct moneyline bet, the Wild is the choice to make. However, with a payout of -236, you might want to use this bet as a building block for a parlay.

For my recommended choice in the puck line, I’m leaning towards the Blue Jackets to cover. Even if the Wild secure a straight-up win, this game is expected to be tightly contested, and the Blue Jackets should cover the puck line.

For those looking at the over/under line set at 6.5 goals, our expectation is that this game will surpass that mark, and we suggest making a bet on the over.


All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!


* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.