Thursday’s NHL slate includes a contest between the Minnesota Wild and the Columbus Blue Jackets at Xcel Energy Center, with the puck dropping at 8:00 PM ET. Whether you’re looking to place a single bet or intend to build a parlay, you’ll want to check out our picks and predictions in the piece below.

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Wild vs. Blue Jackets Picks

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Total Pick

Pick OU: Under 6.5 (model projecting 6.4 goals)

• Minnesota’s games last season finished above this matchup’s total of 6.5 goals 39 times.
• Columbus’ games last season had over 6.5 goals 42 of 82 times.
• The two teams combined to score 5.9 goals per game, 0.6 fewer than this one’s total.
• Opponents of these teams averaged 6.8 goals per game combined, 0.3 more than this one’s total.
• The Blue Jackets were 24th in the league in goals scored, compared to the 21st-ranked Wild.
• The Blue Jackets were 31st in the league in goals conceded, and the Wild were 20th.

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Moneyline Pick

Wild Moneyline: -236

• The Wild were 26-13 when favored on the moneyline last season.
• Minnesota played four games as a moneyline favorite with odds of -236 or shorter and won every time.
• The implied moneyline probability for this matchup gives the Wild a 70.2% chance to win.

Blue Jackets Moneyline: +191

• The Blue Jackets claimed an upset victory in 23, or 30.7%, of the 75 games they played as an underdog last season.
• Columbus was 5-22 last season when bookmakers made them underdogs of +191 or longer on the moneyline.
• Sportsbooks have implied, based on the moneyline in this matchup, that the Blue Jackets have a 34.4% chance to win.

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Score Prediction

Prediction:
Minnesota 4, Columbus 2

Wild Points Leaders (2023-24)

• With 46 goals and 50 assists last season, Kirill Kaprizov was one of Minnesota’s leading contributors (96 points).
• Matthew Boldy had 29 goals and 40 assists for Minnesota last season, totaling 69 points (0.8 per game).
• With 64 points in 77 games last season (30 goals and 34 assists), Joel Eriksson Ek was an important part of Minnesota’s offense.
• Last season for Minnesota, Filip Gustavsson (20-18-4) recorded a 3.1 goals-against average, and a save percentage of .899.

Blue Jackets Points Leaders (2023-24)

• Sean Monahan was a key offensive option for Columbus last season, with 59 points. He put up 26 goals and 33 assists in 83 games.
• Zachary Werenski was key for Columbus’ offense with 57 total points (0.8 per game), including 11 goals and 46 assists in 70 games.
• Columbus’ Kirill Marchenko had 42 points, courtesy of 23 goals (second on team) and 19 assists (sixth).
• Elvis Merzlikins’ record was 13-17-8 last season, giving up 130 goals (3.4 goals against average) and having an .897 save percentage (47th in the league).

Wild’s Schedule

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Blue Jackets’ Schedule

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Minnesota vs. Columbus Game Info

• Date: Thursday, October 10, 2024
• Time: 8:00 PM ET
• How to watch on TV: ESPN+
• Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)
• Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
• Location: Saint Paul, Minnesota
• Venue: Xcel Energy Center

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