Columbus Blue Jackets v Toronto Maple Leafs tips: Leafs look to arrest slump at Nationwide

Wednesday morning's clash at Nationwide Arena shapes as a battle of the bruised — Columbus Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs both arrive nursing fresh defeats and searching for steadier ground. The Blue Jackets (3–3–0, 28th) went down 1–2 to Minnesota Wild on the road in their last outing on Monday, while the Leafs (3–4–2, 22nd) copped a 1–4 home hiding from the New York Islanders a day earlier. Puck drops at 10:00 am AEDT, and punters will be weighing which team finds their form line first.

Columbus have rattled off two wins and three losses in their last five overall, including a gritty 1–0 shutout of the Rangers at home sandwiched between the Minnesota defeat and a 3–7 drubbing by Florida. At Nationwide Arena this month, they've posted two wins from three — the Rangers shutout and a 3–2 edge over Pittsburgh — with that 3–7 Florida setback the outlier. Averaging 2.3 goals for and 3.0 against across those three home outings, they've shown they can lock things down when the stars align but remain vulnerable to explosive opposition. Season-wide, they're leaking 3.5 per game and managing just 2.67 going the other way, a goals-against tally that sits poorly against anyone with firepower.

Toronto's recent stretch reads grimmer: four losses in their last five, three of them by a single goal (4–5 to Buffalo at home, 4–5 to Utah on the road, 3–4 to Vegas away) and the latest a three-goal shellacking by the Islanders. That lone win — a 6–3 road result against Colorado — offered a glimpse of what the Leafs' attack can deliver when it clicks, but they've since reverted to narrow defeats and defensive lapses. Over those five games, they've averaged 3.6 goals for and 4.2 against, a margin that flatters neither the offence nor the back end. Auston Matthews (6G, 7A) and William Nylander (5G, 7A) lead the scoring charge, but the Leafs' 96.43% penalty kill — elite on paper — couldn't stem the bleeding against the Islanders.

Who will win at Nationwide Arena?

The head-to-head market has Columbus at 1.75 and Toronto out to 2.05, a mild nod to home ice and perhaps a reflection of the Leafs' recent wobbles. Columbus sit 28th on the ladder with a .500 points percentage; Toronto are 22nd at .444, but they've played three more games and banked two overtime losses for bonus points. On pure season output, the Leafs have the edge — 3.22 goals per game to Columbus's 2.67 — but they're also conceding at virtually the same rate (3.44 vs 3.50), and the Blue Jackets' expected-goals numbers (12.2 xGF, 11.0 xGA through six games) suggest they've been a shade unlucky.

Recent results tilt marginally toward Columbus, who at least claimed a home win over the Rangers in their penultimate outing before the Minnesota loss. Toronto, by contrast, have dropped four of five and looked particularly brittle in that 1–4 Islanders reverse. The Leafs' power play (26.67%) is twice as potent as Columbus's (13.33%), but the Blue Jackets' penalty kill is middling (66.67%) and Toronto's elite short-handed unit couldn't stop the rot last time out. Columbus also boast a slightly better Corsi share (49.3% vs 46.9%), hinting they're not being overrun territorially.

With both teams coming off defeats and searching for rhythm, the 1.75 price on the Blue Jackets reflects home ice and a marginally less chaotic form line. It's a lean rather than a lock, but Nationwide Arena has been kind to Columbus twice in three October starts, and Toronto's road record this season offers little comfort for backers travelling with them.

FAQ

Who do you tip to win Blue Jackets v Maple Leafs? We're leaning toward the Columbus Blue Jackets at 1.75. Both sides are coming off losses, but the Jackets have won two of their last three at Nationwide Arena and Toronto have dropped four of five overall, including a heavy home defeat to the Islanders in their most recent start.

Who is the favourite for this NHL game? Columbus Blue Jackets are favourites on the board at 1.75, with Toronto Maple Leafs out to 2.05. The pricing reflects home ice and the Leafs' recent run of narrow losses.

What are the ladder positions? Columbus sit 28th with a 3–3–0 record (.500 points percentage), while Toronto are 22nd at 3–4–2 (.444 points percentage). The Leafs have played three more games but banked two overtime-loss points.

How have Columbus performed at home this season? The Blue Jackets have won two of their last three at Nationwide Arena — a 1–0 shutout of the Rangers and a 3–2 win over Pittsburgh — with a 3–7 loss to Florida the outlier. They're averaging 2.3 goals for and 3.0 against across those three home outings.

What is Toronto's recent form? The Maple Leafs have lost four of their last five overall, including a 1–4 home defeat to the Islanders in their most recent outing. Their lone win in that stretch was a 6–3 road result against Colorado, but they've since dropped three straight by narrow margins or worse.