This article is part of our NHL Picks series.
NHL Best Bets & Picks for Blue Jackets vs Blackhawks – Jan. 30 Predictions
On Friday, the National Hockey League (NHL) has a single game on the schedule after Thursday's busy 15-game slate. While, on the surface, a Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Chicago Blackhawks game might not look like the most attractive game, it's actually shaping up to be quite entertaining, especially for betting purposes.
We'll take a look at some same-game parlay (SGP) possibilities, and we'll also kick the tires on some game prop plays to make things a little more interesting. Let's get started!
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Expert NHL Best Bets for Blue Jackets vs Blackhawks Matchup
Columbus Blue Jackets 
at Chicago Blackhawks 
The Blue Jackets (25-20-7) and Blackhawks (19-21-7) meet Friday night at United Center at 8:30 p.m. ET, and the standalone game can be viewed or streamed on NHL Network.
This is the first meeting of the season between these former division rivals. Columbus has dominated the series, winning five in a row dating back to Dec. 31, 2022. Not only do the Blue Jackets have the five straight wins, but they've outscored Chicago 27-10, with all five of the victories coming by at least three goals. In fact, the average margin of victory in that span is 3.4 goals per game (GPG). In the past four meetings, the Over is 3-0-1, with an average of 8.0 combined GPG.
The Blue Jackets have won three of the past four matchups at United Center as well, including a 6-3 win on Dec. 1, 2024 as slight favorites (-135) as the Over (6.5) connected. The past four meetings in the Windy City have accrued 34 combined goals, or 8.5 GPG, with four consecutive Over results since Feb. 17, 2022.
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
The Blue Jackets enter play on quite the roll. They've surged up the standings in the Metropolitan Division, sitting in a three-way tie for fourth place with the Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals ahead of Thursday's full slate.
The Jackets won 5-3 as a moderate favorite (-120) on home ice against the aforementioned Flyers on Wednesday, as Elvis Merzlikins got the job done in net. He and Jet Greaves have given Columbus a surprisingly effective one-two punch in goal this season.
Columbus is a stellar 7-1-0 in the past eight games, including wins in both of its road games in that span. Those victories weren't against poor opponents, as they knocked off the red-hot Utah Mammoth 3-2 in overtime in Salt Lake City on Jan. 11 to begin the solid stretch, while posting a 4-3 win in a shootout on Jan. 17 over the equally impressive Pittsburgh Penguins.
Greaves (16-12-6, 2.69 GAA, .908 SV%, 1 SO) is likely to be between the pipes for Friday's game. The 24-year-old was in net for Saturday's 8-5 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Despite his five goals allowed against Tampa Bay, he still has a 5-2-1 mark, 2.89 GAA and .906 save percentage with a shutout in eight starts and nine appearances in January.
Blue Jackets All-Star defenseman Zach Werenski has been playing good hockey lately, posting a goal and four assists, including a power-play point, with a plus-1 rating in the past three games.
Chicago suffered a 4-3 shootout loss at Minnesota on Tuesday. Picking up a point in the Twin Cities would have been considered a favorable outcome in the past, but the Blackhawks surrendered a 3-0 lead, allowing the game-tying goal with 2:02 left in regulation. Spencer Knight made 20 saves on 23 shots in theshootout loss.
With Arvid Soderblom confirmed to start Thursday in Pittsburgh, that means Knight (15-14-7, 2.59 GAA, .910 SV%, 3 SO) is all but assured of starting Friday, barring any injury to Soderblom on Thursday.
The offensive star for the Blackhawks lately has been Ilya Mikheyev, who has two goals and five points in the past five games, while posting a plus-5 rating.
Despite that disappointing collapse against the Wild, the Blackhawks have picked up points in five consecutive games, just one short of their season-best six-game point streak from Nov. 5 to 18 (5-0-1). The Blackhawks entered Thursday's game in Pittsburgh going 2-1-2 in their previous five matchups, with the Over 3-1 in the past four games.
We're going to back the Blue Jackets on the moneyline and go high on the total. Chicago has cashed the Under in each of its past three games playing on no rest, though, so tread lightly on the total.
For props, we mentioned Werenski above. Only as part of a multi-leg parlay should you use him to get to at least two shots on goal (SOG). It's way too expensive for a straight bet, costing you more than six times your potential return. However, it has a favorable chance to cash as part of our SGP. He leads the team with 172 SOG, and he has at least two SOG in nine straight games, and 40 of his past 42 outings.
We'll also bank on Charlie Coyle getting another goal. He has goals in each of his last two outings, going for two goals and five points during that time. The veteran pivot also has six goals in the past eight games, lighting the lamp in five of those appearances. As either a standalone play, or part of your SGP, he gives you a nice boost at more than 3x value.
- Blue Jackets ML (-137 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Over 6.5 (+106 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Zach Werenski - 2+ Shots On Goal (-660 at FanDuel Sportsbook)*
- Charlie Coyle - Anytime Goal Scorer (+320 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
*Only play as part of a parlay, NOT as a singular play
Don't make any bets on your favorite sports betting apps without first consulting the latest NHL odds.
Key NHL Betting Trends Shaping Today's Picks
4-Leg NHL Super Same-Game Parlay (+883 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Blue Jackets ML (-137) at Blackhawks
- Over 6.5 (+106) - Blue Jackets at Blackhawks
- Zach Werenski - 2+ Shots on Goal (-660)*
- Charlie Coyle - Anytime Goal Scorer (+320)
2-Leg NHL Side/Total Same-Game Parlay (+233 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Blue Jackets ML (-137) at Blackhawks
- Over 6.5 (+106) - Blue Jackets at Blackhawks
2-Leg NHL Props Same-Game Parlay (+344 at FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Zach Werenski - 2+ Shots on Goal (-660)*
- Charlie Coyle - Anytime Goal Scorer (+320)
