Columbus Blue Jackets vs Carolina Hurricanes Picks and Predictions for Thursday October 29 2026

The Columbus Blue Jackets will travel to Raleigh, North Carolina, Thursday night for an Eastern Conference matchup against the Carolina Hurricanes inside Lenovo Center. The game is scheduled to begin at 7 PM ET, with coverage available on ESPN+. Columbus comes into Thursday night 5-5 thus far this season, having won three of its last five games, including two in a row following an overtime road victory against Philadelphia. Carolina remains on its home ice Thursday as one of the better teams in the league, sitting at 10-2-2 overall, having won three of its last four games, including two in a row.

Columbus hunts the win

The Columbus offense has been lackluster this season, averaging just 2.33 goals on 26.8 shots per game, but the Blue Jackets have scored seven goals across their last three wins. Defensively, Columbus has had its issues, giving up 3.33 goals on 27.7 shots per game, but the Blue Jackets have allowed just four total goals across their last three victories. Kent Johnson is leading the Columbus offense this season with 10 points and has posted a team-high six goals. Charlie Coyle and Zach Werenski are tied for second on the roster this season with eight points apiece, while Werenski leads the team with eight assists.

Cam Talbot did just enough in the net for Columbus in its last outing, giving up three goals on 31 shots to post a .903 save percentage in just over 62 minutes. Kent Johnson led the way for the Columbus offense with two goals and one assist in just under 15 minutes on the ice. Adam Fantilli and Denton Mateychuk both chipped in one goal each.

Key Injury Report for Columbus:

None

Carolina looks to lean on home crowd

The Carolina Hurricanes offense has carried them this season, averaging 3.92 goals on 33.9 shots per game. Defensively, Carolina is allowing 2.46 goals on 22.4 shots per game this season. Sebastian Aho leads Carolina's offense this season with 19 points, including eight goals and 11 assists. Jackson Blake is second on the team this year with 14 points, and Andrei Svechnikov is third on the roster with 13 points this season.

Pyotr Kochetkov was phenomenal in the net for Carolina in its last outing, giving up just one goal on 15 shots to post a .933 save percentage. Sebastian Aho and Jackson Blake led the Carolina scoring with one goal each against Boston.

Key Injury Report for Carolina:

• Taylor Hall (Out) – Nov 1
• Alexander Nikishin (Out) – Nov 7
• Jordan Staal (IR) – Dec 3

Columbus Blue Jackets vs Carolina Hurricanes Picks and Prediction

Pick: Carolina Hurricanes

Carolina should have a significant advantage Thursday night because of its ability to control possession and keep opposing teams under constant pressure. The Hurricanes are effective at forcing turnovers in the neutral zone, and their aggressive forecheck could make it difficult for Columbus to establish a consistent offensive rhythm. Sebastian Aho will be a key factor for Carolina, especially with his ability to create scoring opportunities and find teammates in dangerous areas. Columbus has enough offensive talent to compete, particularly with Zach Werenski generating opportunities from the blue line and Adam Fantilli providing a scoring threat up front. However, the Blue Jackets will need to be much more effective at clearing the defensive zone and limiting second-chance opportunities. Carolina's ability to sustain offensive pressure should eventually wear down Columbus and lead to a home victory.

Pick: Under 6.5

The Hurricanes should dictate much of the action Thursday night, but that doesn't necessarily mean this game will turn into an offensive shootout. Carolina's defensive structure and ability to limit clean entries into the offensive zone should make scoring difficult for Columbus. The Blue Jackets will have opportunities to attack in transition, but they could struggle to generate consistent pressure if Carolina controls the puck for extended stretches. Columbus will also need to emphasize defensive responsibility rather than getting into an up-and-down matchup with the Hurricanes. Expect Carolina to create the better scoring chances while limiting Columbus to a relatively quiet offensive performance. A controlled game with Carolina doing most of the damage makes the under appealing.

Final Picks: Carolina Hurricanes and  Under 6.5