This could admittedly be a set-it-and-forget-it game for me, as there is a betting angle to be had, but neither of these two teams really move the needle from a viewership standpoint. The Dallas Stars don’t have the same luster as in past seasons, and their place in the Central Division shows it with a 7-5-1 record after losing their last two games.
The Columbus Blue Jackets are even more disappointing, as the Matthew Knies-Kirill Marchenko swap meant to give the team a new identity has instead shown why the Leafs were okay with trading the young power forward. Columbus has been coming on lately, including a win over the Columbus Blue Jackets and a close loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, but this feels like a letdown spot here.
The Stars need to turn their fortunes around and win a game, as the Central Division doesn’t allow too many long losing streaks. Dallas’ offense has been abysmal, but I think they'll find a way to avoid a third straight loss. Good veteran teams usually do.
Blue Jackets vs Stars prediction: Stars 3-Way ML (-105) available at the time of publishing. Playable to this number.
