A shootout loss, a few blowout losses, and then a much-needed win — the Red Wings have packed all of it into their luggage to kick off a six-game road swing Thursday at Columbus. Puck drop at Nationwide Arena is 7:30 p.m. EST on ESPN+.
Detroit (14-11-2) snapped a four-game skid with a 5–4 win over the Bruins, closing out a homestand that never found consistent traction. The Red Wings went 5-6-2 during a month-long stretch heavy on home ice and now face a trip through Seattle, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Chicago.
Dylan Larkin continues to pace Detroit’s offense with 30 points (14 goals, 16 assists), with Lucas Raymond leading the club in assists. The Red Wings are averaging 2.96 goals per game and converting at a 21.6% clip on the power play but have shown a tendency to give up goals in bunches — their 3.41 goals-against average ranks in the lower third of the league.
Columbus (12-9-5), meanwhile, aims to build off a 5–3 win in New Jersey that halted a four-game slide of their own. The Blue Jackets are 5-3-3 at home and led by defenseman Zach Werenski, who sits at 26 points. Rookie goaltender Jet Greaves has provided steady play with a .901 save percentage.
Red Wings +1.5 (-245)Blue Jackets -1.5 (+203)Red Wings +108Blue Jackets -113Over 6.5 (+104)Under 6.5 (-117)
Note: The above data was collected on Dec. 4, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
Red Wings vs Blue Jackets Betting TrendsBoth teams are 3-7 against the spread in the past 10 games.Both teams have lost four of their last five matchups.The Red Wings are 6-5 against the spread on the road, while the Blue Jackets are 3-8 against the spread at home.The total has gone over in five of the Red Wings’ past six games.All of the previous six meetings between these teams have hit the over.The Red Wings have won five of the last seven matchups with the Blue Jackets.Red Wings vs Blue Jackets Injury ReportsMason Appleton, C — Out (lower body).Shai Buium, D — Injured reserve (undisclosed).Kirill Marchenko, RW — Day to day (knee).Mathieu Olivier, C — Injured reserve (upper body).Sean Monahan, C — Day to day (undisclosed).Erik Gudbranson, D — Injured reserve (hip).Boone Jenner, C — Injured reserve (upper body).Luca Marrelli, D — Injured reserve (shoulder).Red Wings vs Blue Jackets Predictions and Picks
“The Blue Jackets showed real resilience in their 5–3 win over New Jersey, rallying from an early 2–0 hole with four unanswered goals …. That kind of response after a losing streak is exactly what you want to see from a team trying to build momentum, and it highlights the Jackets’ ability to generate offense when their top players step up. With Werenski quarterbacking the attack from the blue line and Monahan finding his scoring touch, Columbus has the pieces to keep Detroit’s defense under pressure.” — Dean Whitaker, Winners and Whiners
“At home, with more reliable goaltending and a solid record in their own building, (the Blue Jackets) match up well against a Red Wings team that can be far too loose defensively. Detroit absolutely has enough talent to win this, but their recent stretch of conceding four or more goals in bunches is not something I’m keen to back as a road favorite or small dog.” — Kim Smith, Picks and Parlays
“The Blue Jackets are coming off a nice win over the Devils, but they’ve had a hard time finishing games lately and aren’t a team I’m excited to back. The Red Wings beat the Blue Jackets a few weeks ago in overtime, and they’ve won seven of the last 10 games against them overall. The Red Wings have cooled off over the last couple of weeks, but the offensive spark has picked back up. If the Red Wings can dial things back defensively, the wins will return.” — Randy Chambers, Sports Chat Place