The Colorado Avalanche will take on the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday night. The Avalanche will attempt to continue their early-season surge, having grabbed at least a point in all of their games this season. They will try to take advantage of the early-season struggles of the Blue Jackets in order to do so. Before this game gets going from Columbus, continue reading to get my Avalanche vs Blue Jackets prediction for Thursday’s action.
Our Avalanche vs Blue Jackets Pick
- Pick: Under 6.5 total goals
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Colorado Avalanche vs Columbus Blue Jackets
- Date & Time: Thursday, October 16, 2025, 7:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, OH
- Broadcast: ESPN+
Key Storylines
Recent form
The Avalanche have gotten off to a strong start, posting a 3-0-1 mark through their first four games. Colorado’s only loss came in a shootout loss to Dallas in which they still earned a point. They are at the top of the Central Division early in the year and will try to stay there with another win tonight.
Columbus sits at 1-2 going into this game. Their latest outing was a 3–2 loss to the New Jersey Devils, in which the Blue Jackets managed to generate chances but couldn’t close things out. Kirill Marchenko has been a bright spot early, scoring in consecutive games, but the rest of the roster needs to find more consistency.
Goaltending
Colorado’s goaltending is an early strength. Scott Wedgewood has shown steadiness, posting a 1.72 GAA and a .935 save percentage early on. His composure in tight spots has helped bail the team out when defensive lapses occurred.
Columbus has relied on Jet Greaves in net, though he is winless in his first two starts. In the loss against New Jersey, Greaves made 25 saves, but the Blue Jackets’ porous penalty kill continues to create pressure around him. Greaves will need to be sharp to keep Columbus in this.
Key skaters
Nathan MacKinnon is firing on all cylinders for Colorado, registering points in each of their opening games. He has four goals and four assists through four outings. Martin Necas has also been brilliant in distributing the puck with five assists, including two on the power play.
Columbus will hope that Marchenko’s hot start continues here. He has four goals and is averaging just under six shots per game. The Blue Jackets will need secondary scoring from other players to contend with the Avs here.
Recent team streaks
- Colorado is unbeaten in regulation so far this season.
- Columbus has allowed seven power-play goals in 14 chances (50% kill), ranking among the league’s worst in penalty killing early.
- The Blue Jackets have lost two of their first three games.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop Type | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| Nathan MacKinnon (COL) | Points | Over 1.5 |
| Cale Makar (COL) | Assists | Over 0.5 |
| Kirill Marchenko (CBJ) | Goals | Over 0.5 |
| Zach Werenski (CBJ) | Points | Over 0.5 |
Betting Trends & H2H
- Colorado is 2-2 on the puckline so far this season.
- Columbus is 3-0 on the puckline for the year.
- The Avs have had three of their four games stay under their totals.
- Columbus has gone under the total in two of their first three outings.
Avalanche vs Blue Jackets Model Projection
Score Projection: Colorado 3 – Columbus 2
Win Probability: Colorado 61%, Columbus 39%
Final Thoughts
I think we are in for a low-scoring and competitive game between these two teams. I give the edge to the Avs thanks to their superior depth. But my best bet for this game is the under, as both teams have really gravitated to low-scoring hockey for the most part.
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- Source: https://ats.io/nhl/colorado-avalanche-vs-columbus-blue-jackets-prediction-10-16-2025/471198/