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Flames vs Blue Jackets Picks and Predictions – Tuesday January 13, 2026
Columbus gets the classic “new coach bump” spot on Tuesday, and it’s hard to ignore. The Blue Jackets made a major change Monday, handing the bench to Rick Bowness, and his first game comes immediately after Columbus snapped a four-game skid with an overtime win. That’s usually when a team’s energy and details tighten up, at least for a night.
Calgary arrives in a similar part of the standings, but from a different angle. The Flames have had trouble scoring, they’ve been grinding for results, and they’re still deep in a road swing. They did just end a slide with a 2-1 win over Pittsburgh, which matters, but they’ve been living in low-event games where one mistake decides it.
The market is making Columbus the favorite, and the situational spot backs it up. The question is whether you want to pay the price, or whether you’d rather play it through the total or a tighter puck-line approach.
Calgary Flames vs Columbus Blue Jackets Odds
These are current betting lines, and bettors should keep monitoring updated NHL odds for late movement tied to goalie confirmations and any lineup decisions under the new bench.
| Team | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calgary Flames | +118 | +1.5 (-175) | 6.0 (O -110 / U -110) |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | -140 | -1.5 (+155) | 6.0 (O -110 / U -110) |
Calgary Flames Betting Form
Calgary’s recent stretch has been defined by tight margins and limited scoring. Even in their last win, it was a one-goal game decided late, which fits their season profile. They can be a tough out when they’re engaged and finishing checks, but they’re not creating enough consistent offense to feel comfortable in any favorite role, and that’s why they keep ending up in coin-flip third periods.
The plus-money moneyline is attractive on paper, but the Flames are still on a road trip and they’ve been too dependent on clean defensive scripts. If Columbus plays with any pace and forces Calgary’s defense into repeated turn-and-defend sequences, the Flames can get pinned. That’s when they start taking penalties or icing pucks, and then you’re relying on goaltending to hold it together.
For recent results and matchup splits, use the Calgary Flames stats and results, and confirm availability with the linked Calgary Flames injury report before you bet into any late scratches.
Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Form
Columbus is a strange team to price because the record says one thing and the talent level suggests they should be closer to the middle. They’ve been inconsistent, they’ve leaked goals at bad times, and they’ve struggled to put full 60-minute games together. That’s exactly why the front office pulled the lever on the coaching change.
Bowness is not walking in to run chaos hockey. His teams typically tighten structure, get more disciplined in the neutral zone, and try to reduce the kind of “free” rush chances that crush you over time. You’re not going to see a total identity change overnight, but in a first game, you often see a simpler plan and a more urgent effort.
If you want Columbus’ situational splits and recent results, check the Columbus Blue Jackets schedule and stats, and keep the linked Columbus Blue Jackets injury report handy for any last-minute lineup changes.
Calgary Flames vs Columbus Blue Jackets Matchup Breakdown
This looks like a tempo-versus-structure game. Calgary wants to slow it down, keep it along the walls, and turn it into a special teams or late-game execution contest. Columbus should want to push pace at home, especially with the emotional lift of the coaching change. If the Jackets can get to the inside early and make Calgary defend net-front sequences, the Flames’ low-scoring profile becomes a real problem because they’re not built to chase.
Special teams could decide the handicap. Calgary has been playing low-event games, so one power-play goal is huge. Columbus has to be disciplined. If the Jackets take three or four minors, they’re inviting Calgary into the exact type of game the Flames want.
Goaltending is the biggest unknown. Neither starter is confirmed in the info you sent, and that matters a lot for totals and for puck-line exposure. If Columbus gets the better goalie matchup, the -140 becomes more reasonable. If Calgary gets the clear edge in net, this price gets a lot less comfortable.
Calgary Flames vs Columbus Blue Jackets Predictions and Best Bets
I’m backing Columbus, but I’m doing it in the cleanest way. The new coach spot is real, and Calgary is not the type of opponent that consistently punishes you with offense if your execution is a little off. Columbus doesn’t need to be great, they just need to be more structured and more engaged than they were during the losing stretch, and the spot sets up for exactly that.
I’m not laying the -1.5. Calgary plays too many one-goal games, and if they keep it tight into the third, you’re depending on an empty-net swing. The moneyline is the right way to play Columbus’ edge without needing the margin.
The total at 6.0 is a pass for me. If Bowness tightens things even a little and Calgary continues to struggle scoring, the under is live. But if the game opens up early because of a couple of mistakes, both teams can trade, and then you’re chasing volatility.
Best Bet: Columbus Blue Jackets Moneyline (-140)
NHL Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
If you’re betting more than one game, the NHL picks page is the fastest way to compare sides and totals across the slate, especially when coaching changes, road trips, and back-to-backs are driving the market.
If you want to follow the bettors who are actually beating the market, the best handicappers hub and the live handicapper leaderboard keep it grounded in performance. For premium packages and full cards, you can access options through buy picks, and for more matchup writeups across the slate, the NHL previews hub keeps everything organized. For fundamentals on totals, puck lines, and moneylines, the NHL betting guide is a solid baseline, and the Stanley Cup betting guide adds context for how game state affects scoring environments.
