Flyers vs Blue Jackets Picks, Prediction & Odds – Wednesday Night Hockey
By Michael Harrison in NHL Hockey
Published:
- The Blue Jackets are a -118 home moneyline favorite over the Flyers on Wednesday, Jan. 28th
- Columbus has won four of their last six duels against Philadelphia
- See my Flyers vs Blue Jackets predictions below, plus prop pick and lineups
The puck drops Wednesday in a battle between two squads that are scratching and clawing to remain in postseason contention in the Metropolitan Division, with just two points separating the Flyers and Blue Jackets.
Philadelphia (24-18-9, 31-20 ATS, 57 pts) square off against Columbus (24-20-7, 27-24 ATS, 55 pts), with the Flyers fourth in the Metro, and the Jackets seventh, but separated by just two points.
Action is set to get underway at 7:30 pm ET / 4:30 pm PT from Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, with TNT/HBO Max/truTV providing the coverage in the United States.
Flyers vs Blue Jackets Prediction
- Blue Jackets Moneyline (-118 at FanDuel)
My Flyers vs Blue Jackets prediction has the home squad emerging victorious. The Blue Jackets have been on fire of late, taking six of seven (including five of six under new bench boss Rick Bowness). Philly has been going the other way, dropping eight of ten (2-6-2).
Per the NHL odds, it’s extremely close in the betting odds between the Flyers vs Blue Jackets with our SBD formula predicting a 3.50-3.44 PHI upset, despite the Jackets taking four of six off the Flyers. I like how Columbus has defeated teams in playoff positions during their stretch, taking down TB, DAL, PIT and Utah.
The goaltending matchup will feature Dan Vladar (PHI) and Elvis Merzlikins (CBJ). The former has allowed just two markers or less in nine of twelve battles. The latter has settled down by giving up just six goals in the last three starts (left with an illness in one game), following a horrid stretch of surrendering 3+ goals in 14 of 15 contests.
Perhaps because Merzlikins is between the pipes and not Jet Greaves, who has far better numbers, the betting line has altered substantially. Late Tuesday night, CBJ was -134 on the moneyline, with PHI +112. Now, it’s Columbus -118, Philadelphia -102.
PHI vs CBJ Season Stats/Ranks
It’s truly fortuitous that Philly and Columbus both are clinging onto hope to snatch the second or third spots in the Metro, given that both have really struggled in scoring and also keeping the puck out out their own net, ranking in the bottom half of both of those, plus special teams as well.
Flyers vs Blue Jackets Props Pick
- Owen Tippett Anytime Goal Scorer (+240 at FanDuel)
For a prop bet, I’m going to select Flyers forward Owen Tippett, who is second in goals on the squad with 18. That includes a hat trick two games ago versus Colorado, and he also has found the back of the net in three of the last four vs CBJ. At +240, you’re getting Tippett at longer odds than the top-five players on the board.
If you want to parlay the Blue Jackets to win on the moneyline, yet Tippett to find the back of the net for Philly, that total pays out a cool +640.
Flyers vs Blue Jackets Odds
The Blue Jackets are -118 moneyline favorites and are laying 1.5 goals on the puck line at +210. The Flyers come back as -102 underdogs, while the total currently sits at 6.5 goals at FanDuel.
The implied win probability of CBJ at -118 is 54.1%. You’d need to wager $118 on the favorites to win $100, while a $102 bet on the underdogs clears $100.

Updated odds via FanDuel Sportsbook as of 1:15 p.m. ET on Jan. 28.
Flyers vs Blue Jackets Projected Lineups
Philadelphia Projected Lineup
Forwards
Trevor Zegras – Christian Dvorak – Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey – Sean Couturier – Owen Tippett
Matvei Michkov – Noah Cates – Bobby Brink
Nikita Grebenkin – Lane Pederson – Carl Grundstrom
Defense
Travis Sanheim – Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York – Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler – Noah Juulsen
Goaltenders
Dan Vladar
Samuel Ersson
Injuries: Tyson Foerster (arm), Rodrigo Abols (lower body)
Columbus Projected Lineup
Forwards
Mason Marchment – Adam Fantilli – Kirill Marchenko
Boone Jenner – Sean Monahan – Kent Johnson
Cole Sillinger – Charlie Coyle – Mathieu Olivier
Dmitri Voronkov – Isac Lundestrom – Miles Wood
Defense
Zach Werenski – Damon Severson
Ivan Provorov – Denton Mateychuk
Egor Zamula – Erik Gudbranson
Goaltenders
Elvis Merzlikins
Jet Greaves
Injuries: Brendan Smith (torn meniscus), Dante Fabbro (lower body)
Sports & Entertainment Writer
Michael "Hound Dog" Harrison is well known in the sports industry as the resident statistician for the SC with Jay Onrait Show. He has worked at TSN for over 20 years, is the CEO of his "All Bets Par Off" weekly golf betting videos and his HDOG POD, along with several others.