Vancouver Canucks vs Columbus Blue Jackets Prediction, Preview and Odds - 03/28/2025

Game Time: 7:00 pm ET, Friday, March 28, 2025

Venue:  Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH 

Where to Watch:  ESPN+

DraftKings:  Moneyline:  Canucks -105, Blue Jackets -115; Over/Under:  5.5 goals

Bet365:  Moneyline:  Canucks -105, Blue Jackets -115; Over/Under:  6 goals

BetMGM:  Moneyline:  Canucks -115, Blue Jackets -105; Over/Under:  6 goals

Vancouver Canucks:  34-26-12 (4th place, Pacific Division)

Columbus Blue Jackets:  32-29-9 (6th place, Metropolitan Division)

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Vancouver Canucks:  5-4-1 last 10

Columbus Blue Jackets:  2-7-1 last 10

The Canucks are entering this game with 80 points, a 34-26-12 record overall, and they are 19-13-5 in their road games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a win against the New York Islanders in their last game, winning that one on the road 5-2. Kiefer Sherwood led the team in goals scored with 2 while Teddy Blueger, Derek Forbort, and Aatu Räty each scored 1 goal for them in that one. Drew O'Connor and Pius Suter each led the team in assists with 2 while Kiefer Sherwood led the team in shots on net in that game with 4. Thatcher Demko was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 2 goals on 28 shots with 26 saves and a .928 save percentage. Their offense has scored 206 goals this season averaging 2.9 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 219 goals against them allowing 3 goals per game.

The Blue Jackets are entering this game with 73 points, a 32-29-9 record overall, and they are 20-9-5 in their home games this season where they will be in this game. They are entering this game off a win against the New York Islanders in their last game, winning that one on the road 4-3 in a shootout. Adam Fantilli, Boone Jenner, and Kirill Marchenko each scored 1 goal for them in that one. Sean Monahan led the team in assists with 2 while Kirill Marchenko led the team in shots on net in that game with 5. Elvis Merzļikins was the starting goalie in that game and he allowed 3 goals on 33 shots with 30 saves and a .909 sv percentage. Their offense has scored 225 goals this season averaging 3.2 goals per game and their defense has allowed their opponents to score 233 goals against them allowing 3.3 goals per game.

The current betting odds have the Blue Jackets listed as a slight favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. The Blue Jackets haven't looked great in their games this season with their 32-29-9 record overall which has them in 6th place of their division in the East, but that record still has them in the Wild Card race just 2 points behind the last team. They have also looked great on their home ice this season with their 20-9-5 home record. Meanwhile, the Canucks haven't looked great in their games this season with their 34-26-12 record overall which has them in 4th place of their division in the West, but that record still has them in the Wild Card race in the West just 3 points behind the last team. They have been a better road team this year too with their 19-13-5 road record, but they haven't looked great lately. They have won 2 games in a row now, coming off a win over the Islanders in their last one, but they are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games and are starting to feel the pressure as they have been slipping down the standings lately. The Blue Jackets haven't been any better lately as they have looked a lot worse lately, going 2-7-1 in their last 10 games as they have fallen into a big slump, but they are coming off a much needed win in their last one and that win could be what they needed to break out of this funk. The Blue Jackets have also been sliding down the standings lately as they were in a playoff spot just a few weeks ago, but now they need to fight. The Canucks have been the better team lately, but they have also been really up and down this season and as bad as the Blue Jackets have been lately, they have been a really good home team in the NHL this year. The Blue Jackets need this game a lot more to stop the bleeding so look for them to bring their best effort here and get themselves back on track. The best way to place a bet here is on the Blue Jackets to win this game. 

Canucks Blue Jackets Prediction:  Our NHL Pick for Friday, March 28, 2025 (7:00 pm ET start time) is Blue Jackets 4 Canucks 3.

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Vancouver Canucks: 36-26 (+7.2 units) on the moneyline off a road win. 68-49 (+7.3 units) on the moneyline when playing against a team with a losing record. 84-59 (+13.9 units) on the moneyline against terrible defensive teams - allowing 3+ goals/game. 12-2 OVER off a road blowout win by 3 goals or more. 

Columbus Blue Jackets: 83-149 (-24.6 units) on the moneyline in all games. 27-63 (-21.3 units) on the moneyline revenging a same season loss vs opponent. 49-76 (-10 units) on the moneyline against terrible defensive teams - allowing 3+ goals/game. 10-3 OVER against poor offensive teams - averaging 26.5 shots on goal per game or less.

Vancouver Canucks:  E. Pettersson (D) Day To Day - Undisclosed. F. Chytil (C) Day To Day - Concussion. N. Hoglander (LW) Out - Undisclosed. N. Juulsen (D) Out For Season - Groin.

Columbus Blue Jackets:  K. Labanc (RW) Out For Season - Upper Body.

“It’s a big win for us. Obviously, Demko was really good for us, especially in the first half of the game. I don’t think we were in love with our first two periods. The third, we played our best period. But sometimes, that’s what you have to do. Even if you feel like you aren’t playing your best game as a team or an individual, you've got to find a period, and I thought our third period was better.” - Rick Tocchet after his team’s win against the Islanders in their game on Wednesday.

“The guys were saying all the right things on the bench, between periods, and we just reinforced that it wasn’t from a lack of trying. We were just trying to score, trying to do too much, way too much instead of just simplifying our game and getting after it and doing what we did in the last two periods as far as getting pucks deep, getting after it and doing what we do. It’s not a negative that they’re trying their butts off to score goals and to win hockey games and get two points, but you still have to go about it intelligently. They adjusted themselves and played it the right way.” - Dean Evason after his team’s win against the Islanders in their game on Monday.

LW Jake DeBrusk

C Pius Suter

RW Brock Boeser

LD Quinn Hughes

RD Filip Hronek

G Thatcher Demko

LW Dmitri Voronkov

C Sean Monahan

RW Kirill Marchenko

LD Zach Werenski

RD Dante Fabbro

G Elvis Merzlikins

Points: Q. Hughes (68)

Goals: J. DeBrusk (23)

Assists: Q. Hughes (52)

GAA: K. Lankinen (2.59)

Points: Z. Werenski (69)

Goals: K. Marchenko (26)

Assists: Z. Werenski (49)

GAA: E. Merzlikins (3.03)

Coaches:

Vancouver Canucks: Rick Tocchet (3rd season)

Columbus Blue Jackets: Dean Evason (1st season)