We have a four-game game slate in the NHL scheduled for Friday, February 10, and here you can get the best Maple Leafs vs. Blue Jackets betting pick and odds.

Columbus is desperate to avoid the fourth defeat in a row when they host Toronto at Nationwide Arena. The Maple Leafs are -245 moneyline favorites on BetDSI Sportsbook, while the total is set at 6.5 goals. These conference rivals will meet for the first time this season.

Maple Leafs were powerless against the Bruins at home

The Toronto Maple Leafs (31-13-7-1, 21-31 ATS) were on a five-game home stand on which they secured three wins but concluded it with a 5-2 loss to the Boston Bruins. It was a good opportunity for the Maple Leafs to get a W and come closer to the conference-leading Bruins, but they lost and now are 13 points behind Boston. Toronto will travel to Columbus for the first game of a back-to-back H2H set, after which they will return home for a three-game stay.

The Leafs’ goalie Ilya Samsonov didn’t have the best of games as he allowed five goals from 29 shots, and the goals from Mitchell Marner and Calle Jarnkrok were not enough to avoid a loss. Pavel Zacha bagged a couple of goals for the Bruins in the third period to seal the deal for the visitors. This season, Mitchell Marner leads Toronto in points with 60 (G 19, A 41). William Nylander has 59 (G 28, A 31), and Auston Matthews chips in 53 points (G 25, A 28).

Ilya Samsonov (17-6-2) is likely going to start at the goal against Columbus on Friday. The 25-year-old is conceding 2.42 goals per game this year with a .913 SV% and two shutouts.

D T.J. Brodie (ribs), D Jake Muzzin (neck), G Matt Murray (undisclosed), and C Auston Matthews (knee) are out indefinitely and will not feature in Columbus on Friday.

Blue Jackets are again on a losing streak

The Columbus Blue Jackets (15-32-3-1, 23-28 ATS) managed to win two out of three games as they beat Edmonton and San Jose, but returned to losing ways with defeats to the Canucks, Kraken, and Capitals. The latest 4-3 loss to the Washington Capitals came at home in overtime, which means that the Blue Jackets are now the team with the worst record in the entire NHL. Columbus has 34 points, ten behind the Montreal Canadiens, who are a place above in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Blue Jackets were trailing for the most part of the game against Washington, but Johnny Gaudreau forced overtime to earn a point for Columbus. However, the hosts couldn’t get two points as Evgeny Kuznetsov scored a winner for the Capitals. Thus far this campaign, Gaudreau is the only Blue Jacket among the top 100 players in the NHL when it comes to points. He contributes 49 points (G 14, A 35).

Joonas Korpisalo (8-9-3) is expected to take his place in the cage against the Maple Leafs on Friday. The 28-year-old is allowing 3.35 goals per contest along with a .908 SV% and no shutouts.

RW Jakub Voracek (concussion), LW Gustav Nyquist (upper body), D Zach Werenski (shoulder), and D Jake Bean (upper body) are out indefinitely and will not play against the Maple Leafs on Friday. D Nick Blankenburg (upper body) and D Adam Boqvist (upper body) are questionable.

Trends:

Toronto:

  • 11-5 in the last 16 vs. a team with a losing record
  • 9-3 in the last 12 after scoring two goals or less in their previous game
  • 5-1 in the last six games following a loss of three or more goals

Columbus:

  • 1-8 in the last nine vs. Atlantic Division rivals
  • 1-4 in the last five home games

Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Pick

The Maple Leafs are without a road win in their last three games, but the fact they are facing the weakest team in the league is enough for me to back them in this one. Toronto has a top-10 offense that averages 3.37 goals per game, while Columbus has the third-worst offense in the NHL that scores 2.45 gpg. The Leafs also have a way stronger defense (2.67 gpg opposite Columbus’ 3.84 gpg), and despite missing Auston Matthews, I have no doubt the visitors will get an easy victory on Friday.

Pick: Take the Maple Leafs at -1.5 Puck Line (+100)

The Total

Ilya Samsonov conceded more than three goals on just two occasions in his last 11 starts, and I don’t think he will allow more than two against Columbus here. The Maple Leafs are not impressing offensively of late, but they should be good enough for three or four goals against this leaky defense. Still, I don’t expect to see a high-scoring affair. Under is 3-1-1 in the Maple Leafs’ last five after allowing five goals or more in their previous game, while Under is 12-5 in the Blue Jackets’ last 17 vs. a team with a winning record.

Pick: Go Under 6.5 goals (-110)