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Model picks & player props
Vancouver Canucks
VS
Columbus Blue Jackets

Vancouver Canucks vs Columbus Blue Jackets Picks & Predictions

Model updated Sep 1, 9:11AM UTC

We checked every price on this game against our own numbers. The green ones are the bets worth more than they should be.

NHL
Nationwide Arena, Columbus
Indoor
Fri 16 Jan 2026, 12:00AM
2
Game markets graded
1
Props graded
The model's one call for this gamethe prediction, first
Vancouver Canucks 1.5 Spread -175

The model graded 3 markets for Vancouver Canucks vs Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL) and this is the one it backs hardest — HIGH confidence. A $100 bet returns about $157 if it lands. This one is free — every other market and all player props are Pro. Tip-off Fri 16 Jan 2026, 12:00AM at Nationwide Arena.

Our confidenceHigh
Chance to win73.8%
The price says63.7%
Best price-175
The rest of this game's boardgraded market by market
Spread Vancouver Canucks 1.5 High74% chance -175
Saves × 1 prop Leanup to 59% —
High = 60%+ chance to win · Lean = 40–60% · Long-shot = under 40%
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Game picks

GOOD PRICE in green
Spread
Vancouver Canucks
+1.5
-175
+ 1 more market
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All 2 game markets and 1 player props for this matchup — every line, every call the model backs — plus every pick across the slate. Join 56,430+ members.

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Calibrated model vs market

Our chance vs the price, market by market
PickMarketModel lean
Vancouver CanucksSpreadThe model likes this price 🔒 Unlock with Pro

Which price is actually worth taking?

Pro shows you, in plain English, how far each price is off — and how much to put on it. No maths needed on your side.

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Injuries & who's out

Injuries & availability

Vancouver Canucks

  • Thatcher Demko GOut
  • Evander Kane LWOut
  • Derek Forbort DOut

Columbus Blue Jackets

  • Elvis Merzlikins GOut
  • Isac Lundestrom COut
Availability updated Aug 24, 7:05PM UTC — some NHL rows may be stale between updates. · refreshed roughly every 4 hours.

Weather & injury impact for this fixture

Conditions · who's out · how it moves the number
For Vancouver Canucks vs Columbus Blue Jackets: Weather isn't a tracked factor for this fixture, and 5 players are listed out or questionable across both sides.
FactorThis fixture
Availability5 listed out or questionable (see Who's out above)

Pro — weather & injury-adjusted view

See the weather- and injury-adjusted projected line and the model's with/without delta for this fixture. 🔒 Unlock with Pro

Player props

GOOD PRICE in green
PlayerTeamStat
Elvis Merzlikins Columbus Blue Jackets Saves

+ 1 player prop graded for this game — the line, the call and how much to put on each, with Pro.

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Betting angles

Markets & form
MoneylineModel leans Columbus Blue JacketsNo line posted

Vancouver Canucks @ Columbus Blue Jackets moneyline: model lean and both sides' win form.

Puck LineVancouver Canucks +1.5No line posted

Vancouver Canucks @ Columbus Blue Jackets puck-line (spread) model lean and cover form.

Total GoalsGame totalNo line posted

Vancouver Canucks @ Columbus Blue Jackets total-goals model lean and scoring trends (the free board has not settled enough of these yet).

Vancouver Canucks @ Columbus Blue Jackets — what the model found

Our model graded 3 betting markets for Vancouver Canucks at Columbus Blue Jackets — 2 on the game itself and 1 on individual players. One pick is free on this page.

2
Game markets graded
1
Player bets graded

The model checked every betting market for this game and graded 3 of them. One pick is free on this page — the one the model likes most. Scroll down to see it.

🔒 The other 2 graded calls for this game — with how much to bet on each — are for members.
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Vancouver Canucks vs Columbus Blue Jackets — recent results

Columbus Blue Jackets have won 2 of their last 5 games; Vancouver Canucks have won 3 of their last 5.

Columbus Blue Jackets — last 5
ResultScoreOpponentWhere
L1–2WSHHome
L2–3BOSHome
W5–2MTLAway
L0–5BUFAway
W4–3DETAway
Vancouver Canucks — last 5
ResultScoreOpponentWhere
L1–6EDMAway
W4–3LAHome
W4–3ANAAway
W4–3SJAway
L1–4LAAway

Vancouver Canucks vs Columbus Blue Jackets — recent meetings

These two have met 1 time recently: Columbus Blue Jackets won 1, Vancouver Canucks won 0.

DateColumbus Blue JacketsVancouver CanucksWinner
Jan 1641Columbus Blue Jackets

Who’s out or in doubt

5 players are listed as out or in doubt for this game.

Columbus Blue Jackets
PlayerStatus
Elvis Merzlikins GOUT
Isac Lundestrom COUT
Vancouver Canucks
PlayerStatus
Thatcher Demko GOUT
Evander Kane LWOUT
Derek Forbort DOUT

The full availability report — with what each missing player means for the bets — is further down this page.

Vancouver Canucks @ Columbus Blue Jackets — model preview

Unlock potential winning bets for Columbus Blue Jackets playing Vancouver Canucks. Includes analysis on key players like Elvis Merzlikins. Analysis includes NHL predictions, NHL game picks, hockey betting preview, Columbus Blue Jackets vs Vancouver Canucks stats and odds.

Elvis Merzlikins (Columbus Blue Jackets) Over 23.5 Saves (-125)

Odds available at draftkings at time of publishing

Betting on Elvis Merzlikins to make over 23.5 saves is a statistically sound choice, considering his recent performance and the predictive model's output. His last five home games have seen an average of 25.6 saves, already above the line set by the bookmaker. This is reinforced by the model's prediction of 25.71 saves for the upcoming game, further indicating that he is likely to exceed the 23.5 saves threshold. Additionally, Merzlikins' overall save average in the last five games is 22.8, just below the line, but his recent hit rates suggest a trending improvement. He has hit the Over in 7 of his last 8 games overall and in 9 of his last 11 home games, showing a strong propensity for high save numbers. Given these statistics, it's reasonable to bet on Merzlikins surpassing 23.5 saves in the upcoming game.

About this matchup

How we read the game

This page tracks the Bet Better model's pick history and predictions for Vancouver Canucks vs Columbus Blue Jackets in the NHL. You may also see this matchup written as Canucks vs Jackets, or as Jackets vs Canucks. The most recent game between them was Friday 16 January 2026 at Nationwide Arena. The model has generated 2 game picks and 1 player prop for this matchup. Review the picks and historical data above to guide your NHL betting strategy for this matchup.

Head-to-head record

Final scores · 1 meeting
Columbus Blue Jackets 1–0 across the last meeting
DateGameScoreWinner
16 Jan 2026Vancouver Canucks @ Columbus Blue Jackets4–1Columbus Blue Jackets
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