Devils vs Blue Jackets

With Columbus riding a three-game winning streak and New Jersey mired in a four-game slide capped by last night’s 4-0 loss in Toronto, the scheduling and form angles lean toward the Blue Jackets at home in this near pick’em price range. The Devils have managed only 10 goals in their last seven games and haven’t topped three goals in a dozen straight, while the Jackets have found some rhythm, winning the third period 6-0 over their last three and tightening up structurally in front of Jet Greaves and Elvis Merzlikins. Even with Columbus missing key back-end pieces like Zach Werenski and Erik Gudbranson and New Jersey monitoring Dougie Hamilton after a recent hand slash, the Jackets’ current forward mix of Adam Fantilli, Sean Monahan and Kirill Marchenko looks more in sync than a Devils attack that’s wasting strong individual efforts from Hughes, Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt. Recent head-to-heads also tilt toward Columbus’ game script: they erased an early 2-0 deficit to beat the Devils 5-3 in Newark on December 1 behind two Monahan goals, three points from Charlie Coyle and 30 saves from Merzlikins, while New Jersey’s earlier 5-3 win last March similarly highlighted how easily these teams can trade chances. With the Jackets slightly fresher, at home, trending up in third periods and special-teams detail, I’ll lay the short price on Columbus but cap the confidence at a B given the modest edge and tight moneyline band. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 31/12/2025 09:31. ([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/blue-jackets-preview-new-years-eve-new-jersey-devils))

Given how stuck New Jersey’s offense is and how Columbus has recently reined in the chaos in its own zone, the Under 6 at a slight discount makes more sense than betting on a sudden track meet. The Devils have scored two or fewer in six of their last seven and just got blanked despite 33 shots, reflecting both finishing issues and a power play that, while still dangerous on paper, hasn’t been able to prop up a sputtering five-on-five attack; they sit in the bottom third of the league in goals per game while playing at a middle-of-the-pack defensive clip. Columbus, meanwhile, has emphasized game management: they’ve allowed only a single third-period goal over their last three, are killing penalties at an elite rate over the past couple of weeks, and have gotten steadier goaltending from Greaves and Merzlikins to complement a blue line that still drives offense but is picking its spots more carefully. These teams did combine for eight goals in their December 1 meeting and have enough shooting talent in Hughes, Bratt, Timo Meier, Fantilli and Marchenko to blow up an under on any given night, so the historical matchup data does pull the projection closer to the number, but layering New Jersey’s back-to-back fatigue, current slump and Columbus’ recent defensive trend points me slightly to the Under 6 at -105 with a B- grade for both probability and price. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 31/12/2025 09:31. ([allaboutthejersey.com](https://www.allaboutthejersey.com/devils-game-recaps/64909/short-handed-leafs-shut-out-devils?utm_source=openai))

For the puckline, the combination of a pricey number and New Jersey’s current form makes this more of a lean than a strong position, but strictly on expected game script I slightly prefer the Devils catching +1.5 goals at -267 over chasing the Blue Jackets -1.5 at a plus return. Even with Columbus in better overall rhythm and healthier on the front end, the Devils still roll out a high-end skill core in Hughes, Hischier, Bratt and Meier, and recent head-to-heads suggest competitive scorelines: New Jersey’s 5-3 home win last March and Columbus’ 5-3 comeback in Newark earlier this month both played within one goal deep into the third before late insurance markers created the two-goal margins. The Jackets’ own injuries on defense, including Werenski’s absence, and their tendency earlier this year to leak leads in third periods add some fragility to the idea that they routinely win by multiple goals, even as their current three-game surge and improved late-game numbers hint they’re turning that narrative. Factor in that the Devils are the more desperate side after dropping four straight and see this as a key divisional chance to stabilize their season, and a one-goal loss or outright road win feels more likely than getting run out of Nationwide, but the steep juice and New Jersey’s recent offensive funk pull this down to a C+ value play rather than something to build the night around. Odds and availability are subject to change. This bet was made at 31/12/2025 09:31. ([nhl.com](https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/blue-jackets-preview-new-years-eve-new-jersey-devils))