Blue Jackets vs Kings

Adrian Kempe’s heater and the Kings’ stingy defensive structure get a soft landing spot here against a Columbus team that has dropped six of its last nine and continues to leak goals despite Zach Werenski’s recent scoring binge from the blue line. With Darcy Kuemper sidelined, this is Anton Forsberg’s net for now, but his 31-save performance in Tampa plus Los Angeles’ overall 2.5 goals-against profile suggests the system is doing most of the heavy lifting, especially with Drew Doughty and Anze Kopitar both healthy and anchoring the spine. Columbus counters with Werenski, Boone Jenner and Adam Fantilli headlining an ESPN-confirmed roster that has enough firepower to punish mistakes, but a -22 goal differential and a 7-9-3 road mark signal why they’re underdogs in a building where the Kings’ home record is underachieving yet still backed by elite five-on-five suppression. Kempe’s long-term track record versus Columbus is modest, but Kopitar’s dominance on draws against the Jackets and Werenski’s merely decent historical production versus L.A. tilt the matchup toward a Kings side that should also benefit from the rest edge after their Florida swing. I’m taking Los Angeles on the moneyline at -178, graded a B- because the win probability is solid but the price is already demanding a lot of that edge. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 22/12/2025 09:32am

Even with the Kings’ reputation as a low-event outfit, the matchup math nudges toward goals when you combine Columbus’ 3.7 goals against per game over its last 10 with Los Angeles’ perfect 10-0-6 record when it gets to three or more. The Jackets’ recent skid has been fueled by defensive lapses and penalty-kill issues, and even if Werenski plays heavy minutes again despite his recent shot-block scare, his aggressive offensive role can open up transition chances the other way for Kempe, Kevin Fiala and support scorers like Joel Armia. On the flip side, Columbus has quietly averaged over three goals per game across its last 10, and the current roster is deeper up front after the Mason Marchment acquisition, so they’re fully capable of dragging a structured Kings team into a 3-2 or 4-2 type script if Forsberg is anything less than sharp behind an L.A. blue line that has been asked to carry heavy minutes. With both clubs hovering around league-average combined scoring on the season but the Jackets’ game states skewing higher and this being the first meeting—often a tempo feeling-out that leads to special-teams chances—I’m going Over 5.5 at -115, a B-grade play thanks to a reasonable number and a clear path to six goals if either side’s goaltending blinks. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 22/12/2025 09:32am

With the Kings as just a middling 4-6-4 at home and built on grinding, one-goal hockey rather than blowouts, the safer way to fade Columbus’ inconsistency is to grab the Jackets at +1.5 and ask them simply to keep it close. Los Angeles’ offense has managed only 2.2 goals per game over its last 10 despite Kempe’s surge, and without Kuemper they’re still relying on Forsberg to replicate elite numbers behind a defensive shell that tends to protect leads rather than extend them. Columbus, for all its flaws, brings a confirmed ESPN roster where Werenski is driving the attack from the back end, Jenner is back down the middle, and Fantilli plus new arrival Mason Marchment give them enough depth to trade chances and stay within a goal—even on the road, where they’re a competitive 7-9-3. Historical matchup data shows Werenski holding his own production-wise against L.A., while Kopitar’s faceoff edge doesn’t always translate into margin on the scoreboard, fitting the profile of a tight 3-2 or 2-1 finish more than a runaway. That combination makes Blue Jackets +1.5 at -178 a C+ play: the likelihood of a one-goal game is high, but the juice is heavy, and the upside is capped compared with other ways to back a close contest. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 22/12/2025 09:32am