NFL Previews 
MLB Previews 
NBA Previews 
NHL Previews 
Soccer Previews 
Blue Jackets vs Golden Knights Picks and Predictions – Thursday January 8, 2026
Columbus heads into Las Vegas on Thursday night with the kind of profile bettors hate backing on the road: a team that is chasing the game too often, leaking late, and now living out of suitcases on a western swing. The Blue Jackets dropped the opener of this trip in San Jose, and the broader issue is still the same. When they do create offense, they tend to need volume and chaos, not clean, repeatable looks.
Vegas finally got a breath after snapping a five-game skid with an overtime win in Winnipeg, but the home ice has been noisy in the wrong way. The Golden Knights have been mediocre at T-Mobile Arena for months, and the market still prices them like a clean favorite. That gap is the handicap here: Vegas is better, but you have to decide if you’re paying for “Vegas the contender” or “Vegas at home right now.”
Columbus Blue Jackets vs Vegas Golden Knights Odds
These are the current betting lines, but NHL numbers can move fast on travel days and with goalie news, so keep an eye on the latest NHL odds before locking anything in.
| Team | Moneyline | Puck Line | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Blue Jackets | +151 | +1.5 (-169) | 6.5 (O -107 / U -116) |
| Vegas Golden Knights | -180 | -1.5 (+136) | 6.5 (O -107 / U -116) |
Columbus Blue Jackets Betting Form
Columbus is in a results rut, and the travel spot doesn’t help. They are playing their second road game in three nights and the legs show up first in the details that swing hockey bets: slower changes, late sticks in the neutral zone, and penalties taken because you’re half a step behind. That’s how favorites turn a close game into a two-goal separation without dominating the run of play.
From a betting angle, the Blue Jackets are usually more attractive as a puck-line dog than as a moneyline swing, because their scoring often comes in waves. If they’re generating looks off the forecheck, they can hang around even when the 5-on-5 share is slightly negative. If they’re chasing and trading, the back door stays open.
For recent results and team trends, check the Blue Jackets stats and results. And before you bet any Columbus side or total, you have to account for who is actually available: Columbus Blue Jackets injury report.
Vegas Golden Knights Betting Form
Vegas is winning enough to stay at the top of the Pacific race, but the path has been messy. The home record is the red flag for bettors because it suggests the process hasn’t been as sharp as the standings imply. When Vegas plays clean, they win shifts, tilt the ice, and make opponents spend a full two minutes defending. When they don’t, they give up odd-man looks and turn games into coin flips that land in overtime.
The betting question is whether this is a true bounce-back spot at home or another game where Vegas controls stretches but doesn’t finish enough to justify -180. If you’re leaning Vegas, you want them dictating the neutral-zone game and keeping Columbus out of second chances. If they do that, the puck line becomes live. If they don’t, the plus price on Columbus plus a goal and a half starts to make sense.
For matchup splits and team performance, use the Golden Knights schedule and stats. Also check availability, especially on back-to-back travel and lineup shuffles: Vegas Golden Knights injury report.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs Vegas Golden Knights Matchup Breakdown
At 5-on-5, this sets up as a structure test. Columbus can be dangerous when they’re turning pucks over and attacking quickly, but Vegas is generally good at killing those rush chances when they manage the puck. If Vegas keeps their exits clean and avoids soft turnovers inside the blue line, Columbus is forced into more dump-and-chase hockey, and that’s where Vegas can grind them down.
Special teams matter here because both teams have shown they can swing outcomes with a few minutes of leverage. Vegas just cashed an overtime power play, and that’s a reminder that their top unit can end a game in one clean possession. Columbus, meanwhile, can stay in games if they get to the box score through the power play, especially if Vegas takes lazy stick infractions that gift zone time.
The environment is straightforward: indoor ice at T-Mobile Arena. No wind, no weather, no weird surface variables. That usually helps the more structured team, especially on the total, because you’re not dealing with a puck that is dying in soft ice or a game slowed by conditions. The travel angle is real, though. Columbus is on a western road trip and Vegas is coming home off a trip of its own, so goalie confirmation is a must. If either team starts a backup, the 6.5 can look very different.
If you want a quick refresher on how these spots tend to price out, the NHL betting guide is a solid reference for puck line and total dynamics.
Columbus Blue Jackets vs Vegas Golden Knights Predictions and Best Bets
My first instinct is to fade the idea that Vegas automatically “fixes” its home issues in one night. They’re the better roster, but the price already reflects that. At -180, you’re betting that Vegas wins this game comfortably more often than the current version of Vegas at home has actually shown.
From the Columbus side, +1.5 is expensive, but it fits the way this matchup can play out. If Vegas controls the puck but doesn’t separate early, you’re sitting on a number that wins in a lot of the likely game scripts: one-goal Vegas win, overtime, or even a tight Columbus upset. The total is the secondary angle. With a 6.5, you’re mostly betting on finish quality and goaltending. Without confirmed starters, I’m not rushing into an over in a travel spot for the road team.
So the play I’m most comfortable with is a “stay alive” position on Columbus rather than a big swing on the upset moneyline. If goalie news breaks toward a weaker starter for either side, the total becomes more interesting, but I want that confirmation first.
Best Bet: Columbus Blue Jackets +1.5 (-169)
NHL Picks and Handicappers on ScoresAndStats
If you’re building a card beyond one game, start with the NHL picks page to compare sides, totals, and consensus movement across the board. It’s also the fastest way to see where sharper positions are stacking up as goalies and lineups get confirmed.
For bettors who want to follow proven track records, the best handicappers and the results-driven leaderboard help you separate hot noise from sustained edge. And if you want full-game packages or premium angles, you can access them through Buy Picks, plus broader futures context in the Stanley Cup betting guide and the daily slate from the NHL previews hub.
