The Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets return from their All-Star break Friday night. They will be playing the first of back-to-back games against each other on back-to-back nights.
The Maple Leafs are a true Stanley Cup contender but have recently been dealing with injuries to major contributors. Columbus’ season has been awful from the start, and the Blue Jackets’ ray of hope is a high draft pick this off-season.
We’ll review the stats, trends, and odds for everything Leafs vs Blue Jackets bet related and make our picks for Friday night’s betting ticket.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Odds
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Matchup Information
Toronto Maple Leafs vs Columbus Blue Jackets
Location: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Date and Time: Friday, February 10th, 2023, 7:00 P.M. ET
How to Watch: ESPN+ | NHLPP, Bally Sports Ohio
Recent Scores for Last Game
This is the first of three games on the NHL schedule between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Columbus Blue Jackets this season. This is the first half of a back-to-back between these two NHL teams.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Analysis
Maple Leafs Set to Return Strong After All-Star Break with Impressive Record
The Toronto Maple Leafs are playing their first game since the All-Star break, emerging from the break second in the Atlantic Division and fourth overall in the NHL standings with a 31-13-8 record. Toronto has won three of the last five games and is 5-5 in the last ten.
Toronto has a 5-4-1 over/record in the last ten games. The over is 4-1-1 in the Maple Leafs’ last six games against the Metropolitan Division.
The Maple Leafs have elite NHL team stats on either end of the ice. Offensively, Toronto is ranked ninth overall, averaging 3.4 goals per game, while the powerplay is the sixth rank unit in the league, converting at 25%.
Defensively, the Maple Leafs have overcome injuries on the back end and in net, still ranked eighth overall in the NHL, giving up 2.7 goals per game. The penalty kill is average and will need to improve for a long playoff run, ranked 16th overall and operating at 79.4%.
If you have read a single Toronto Maple Leafs prediction this season, you know that the Leafs have been a Stanley Cup contender since the beginning of the season, despite injury issues. The Maple Leafs have the more significant names on the NHL Injury report who are expected back this season, including Matt Murray, Auston Matthews, Jake Muzzin, and Victor Mete.
Mitchell Marner leads the Leafs in NHL player stats with 60 points (19 goals, 41 assists), while William Nylander leads Toronto in goals with 28 on the season. Nylander has four goals and seven points in the last five games.
We think Ilya Samsonov gets the start in net for Toronto tonight. Samsonov has a 17-6-2 record, with a 2.42 GAA and a .913 SV%.
Blue Jackets Struggling to Find Success in Challenging Season
The Columbus Blue Jackets have struggled all season long and are in last place in the league, with a 15-32-4 record. The Blue Jackets have lost three straight games and have a 3-7 straight-up record in the last ten games.
CBJ has a 5-4-1 over/under record in the last ten games, while the over is 4-1 in the last five CBJ games against the Eastern Conference. The Blue Jackets are 108 in the last nine games against the Atlantic division.
Offensively, Columbus is ranked 30th overall, averaging 2.5 goals per game. Meanwhile the powerplay has gotten slightly better from an awful start, ranked 28th overall and converting at 16.4%.
Defensively, the Blue Jackets aren’t much better, giving up 3.9 goals per game and ranked 30th in the league, while the penalty killing unit is ranked 20th and operating at 76.9%.
CBJ’s injury report is very long, with Gustav Nyquist becoming the fourth payer listed as out for the season, while three players are listed as questionable for Friday night.
Johnny Gaudreau has been the center of Columbus’ offense this season and leads the Blue Jackets in scoring with 49 points (14 goals, 35 assists).
We expect Elvis Merzlikins to get the start for CBJ tonight. Merzlikins has a 5-14-0 record, with a 4.42 GAA and a .870 SV%.
Odds Breakdown
Before we make a single Leafs vs Blue Jackets bet or prediction, we need to know the betting lines and each team’s betting records.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Moneyline: The Leafs are the heavy moneyline favorite, with odds listed between -230 and -255. Toronto has a 31-21 record straight-up.
Spread: Toronto is listed at -1.5 on the puck line spread, with odds between +107 and -105. The Leafs have a 22-30 ats record.
Over/Under: The total goals line is set to 6.5 goals, the standard total goals number for most NHL games. The over is listed from -120 to -125, while the under is listed from +100 to +102. Toronto has a 22-27-3 over/under record.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Moneyline: Based on the Columbus Blue Jackets record, CBJ is the obvious heavy moneyline underdog, listed between +190 and +205. Columbus has a 15-36 straight-up record.
Spread: Columbus is listed at -1.5 on the puck line spread, with odds from -120 to -127. CBJ has a 24-27 ats record.
Over/Under: While we listed both sides of the total points in the Maple Leafs’ odds section, you will want to know that CBJ has a 27-23-1 over/under record this season.
Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Pick and Prediction
Now that we’ve reviewed the stats, trends, and odds, we need to make NHL picks and find a successful Leafs vs Blue Jackets bet or two. Based on the stats, trends, and both teams’ rosters, this one should be easy money.
Our first pick is to take the Toronto Maple Leafs on the moneyline. While there isn’t much value in this pick, it should be a win and can work as a successful leg of a parlay.
Our second Leafs vs Blue Jackets bet is to take the over. The over is 4-1-1 in the last six games and 3-0-1 in the previous four games in Columbus. Mix in both teams’ over/under records with one of the highest-scoring teams against one of the worst defensive teams in the NHL, and you have a deadly cocktail that should hit the over.
If you are making a Leafs vs Blue Jackets bet on the puck line spread. The Leafs should win this game by two or three goals.
NHL Picks: Toronto Maple Leafs ML, Toronto -1.5, Over
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