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NHL PicksSat 7:00 PM ET
New York Rangers logo
New York
Rangers
5-2-0
versus
Columbus Blue Jackets logo
Columbus
Blue Jackets
2-2-0
NHL · New York Rangers at Columbus Blue Jackets

Your Picks on Rangers vs Blue Jackets

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New York vs Columbus consensus picks

New York Rangers86%
14%Columbus Blue Jackets
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New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets Predictions Today

Game time: October 17, 2026 at 7:00 PM ET

Venue: Nationwide Arena — Columbus, OH

Article updated Oct 17, 9:55 AM EDT

By SportsJaw Editorial Team

The New York Rangers are projected to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets, Rangers 3, Blue Jackets 2, on October 17. New York’s stronger early record and Dylan Garand’s impressive opening performances give it a slight edge, though the starting goalie remains unconfirmed. Neither the supplied puck line nor the total offers a convincing betting advantage, making the official recommendation Pass.

New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets prediction and best bet

New York is the pick to win this 2026-27 NHL matchup, with low confidence. Its 6-3-0 record is a better starting point than Columbus’ 2-3-0 mark, and Garand’s early results offer encouragement if he gets the assignment. The difference is enough for a narrow forecast, but the teams have played unequal schedules of nine and five games.

The official betting recommendation is Pass. Rangers moneyline +115 is tempting alongside that forecast, but the record comparison and a short run of strong goaltending leave considerable uncertainty. Picking New York to finish ahead is easier than claiming a reliable pricing advantage.

Odds, game time and how to watch

Time: October 17, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. EDT.

Venue: Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Television: MSG and Blue Jackets Hockey Network are listed outlets.

Records: New York Rangers 5-2-0; Columbus Blue Jackets 2-2-0.

Goaltending: Inside The Rink lists Dylan Garand and Spencer Martin as projected Rangers options, with Jet Greaves and Cam Talbot projected for Columbus. These are projected options, not confirmed starting assignments.

SportsJaw odds: New York Rangers +1.5 (-222); Columbus Blue Jackets -1.5 (+192). Moneyline: New York Rangers +115; Columbus Blue Jackets -130. Total: Over 6.5 (+105); Under 6.5 (-125).

21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Picks are opinions, not guarantees. Past results do not predict future outcomes.

New York Rangers outlook

Alexis Lafrenière supplies the clearest offensive reason to favor New York. He has seven goals and four assists for 11 points through nine games. Adam Fox has nine assists and no goals over the same span. Those contributions give the Rangers an encouraging combination of finishing and playmaking, although two players’ totals cannot describe the entire offense.

The injuries in goal matter more to this forecast than the difference in standings points. Inside The Rink lists Igor Shesterkin on injured reserve with a knee injury and Joonas Korpisalo on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. That leaves New York’s projected options carrying substantial responsibility.

Garand has answered well across four appearances: a 3-1-0 record, 1.15 goals-against average, .951 save percentage and one shutout. That is a strong beginning. It is also a brief sample, and the favorable interpretation depends partly on him receiving the start.

Columbus Blue Jackets outlook

Columbus has useful production of its own. Cole Sillinger has three goals and two assists for five points, while Charlie Coyle has five assists and five points. With only five team games played, comparing those totals directly with New York’s nine-game figures would exaggerate the offensive gap.

The defensive personnel picture is mixed. Damon Severson returned against Pittsburgh after offseason shoulder surgery, while Dante Fabbro and Ivan Provorov remained on injured reserve, according to Inside The Rink. Severson’s return restores an option, but the remaining absences keep the blue line relevant to the betting decision.

Columbus is the home favorite at -130. Its strongest route to overturning this forecast is effective goaltending alongside continued contributions from Sillinger and Coyle. The early losing record alone is too thin a reason to dismiss that possibility.

Key matchup factors

The central question is how much weight to give New York’s early advantage. Its record favors the Rangers, but the unequal number of games limits the comparison. Garand’s performance strengthens the case conditionally; it should not be assigned to Martin or treated as a guarantee of another low-scoring night.

SportsJaw’s October 17 consensus update at 13:38 UTC shows New York leading the moneyline blend at 55 percent. Member picks favor Rangers +116 at 67 percent, and qualified handicapper picks separately favor the same selection at 67 percent. The sportsbook split is 52 percent toward New York. These are distinct measures of selection preference, not estimates of the Rangers’ chance to win.

The reported day-over-day moneyline change is four percentage points toward Columbus -130 from the October 16 snapshot. That movement tempers the Rangers preference without reversing the current blended leader.

New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets spread prediction

Pass on New York Rangers +1.5 (-225). The projected one-goal Rangers victory fits that side, but the price demands considerably more certainty than this matchup offers. The extra goal and a half comes at a substantial cost.

Pass on Columbus Blue Jackets -1.5 (+190) as well. A Columbus win remains plausible, but asking for a victory by at least two goals stretches beyond the narrow matchup assessment. Neither puck-line price earns an official recommendation.

New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets total prediction

Pass on the total at Under 6.5 (-125) and Over 6.5 (+105). The five-goal projection points toward the Under, and Garand’s opening results fit that outlook if he starts. The uncertainty in goal keeps that forecast from becoming a wager.

The total consensus is strongly tilted toward Under 6.5 (-125): 86 percent in the blend, 100 percent among SportsJaw member picks and 83 percent in the sportsbook split. Those percentages show agreement about the selection, not an 86 percent probability of an Under. With no confirmed starter and only a short performance sample for Garand, following the consensus at -125 is a step too far.

New York Rangers vs Columbus Blue Jackets projected score

Game forecast: Rangers 3, Blue Jackets 2. New York’s winning start, Lafrenière’s finishing and Garand’s encouraging performances produce a slight Rangers lean. The strongest counterargument is the unsettled goaltending assignment, compounded by the small samples on both sides.

Confidence is low. The forecast favors New York in a close game, while the spread and total remain passes at their supplied prices. The single official SportsJaw betting recommendation is Pass.

SportsJawGame Predictions
Predicted score

Rangers3

Blue Jackets2

Projected winner New York RangersConfidencelow
Pick on the Spread

Published pick: Pass on New York Rangers +1.5 (-225) and Columbus Blue Jackets -1.5 (+190)

Pick on the Total

Published pick: Pass on Under 6.5 (-125) and Over 6.5 (+105)

Sources

  • Fubo NewsNew York Rangers at Columbus Blue Jackets - Where to Watch, Stream Info, TV Channel, and Live Updates (October 17, 2026)
  • Inside The RinkNHL Game Preview: New York Rangers at Columbus Blue Jackets with Line Combinations 10/17/2026

SportsJaw Rangers vs Blue Jackets game preview analysis and predictions incorporate current odds, injury reports, team statistics and market data. Information is updated regularly, but lines and player availability can change. Please confirm current information before wagering. View history of past Rangers vs Blue Jackets matchups or learn how our predictions work.

Current matchup data

Lines, trends and availability

Crowd vs qualified handicappers

Moneyline crowd
New York Rangers +115 · 67%
Moneyline qualified handicappers
New York Rangers +115 · 67%
Total crowd
Under 6.5 (-125) · 100%
Total qualified handicappers
Insufficient qualified picks
Qualified handicappers need at least 20 graded picks and a 52.5% win rate. A market needs at least three current qualified picks. Selection share is not a win probability.

Line movement since open

  • Moneyline · New York Rangers+116 → +115Moved
  • Moneyline · Columbus Blue Jackets-132 → -130Moved
  • Spread · New York Rangers+1.5 (-227) → +1.5 (-222)Moved
  • Spread · Columbus Blue Jackets-1.5 (+190) → -1.5 (+192)Moved
  • Total · Over6.5 (+105) → 6.5 (+105)Unchanged
  • Total · Under6.5 (-125) → 6.5 (-125)Unchanged

ATS and O/U trends

New York Rangers
5-2-0 matchup record · 7-3-0 ATS · 6-4-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file
Columbus Blue Jackets
2-2-0 matchup record · 3-7-0 ATS · 4-6-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file

Injuries and availability

From the published research (2026-10-17T13:55:27.620Z). Availability may have changed; review the cited sources.

The injuries in goal matter more to this forecast than the difference in standings points. Inside The Rink lists Igor Shesterkin on injured reserve with a knee injury and Joonas Korpisalo on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. That leaves New York’s projected options carrying substantial responsibility.

The defensive personnel picture is mixed. Damon Severson returned against Pittsburgh after offseason shoulder surgery, while Dante Fabbro and Ivan Provorov remained on injured reserve, according to Inside The Rink. Severson’s return restores an option, but the remaining absences keep the blue line relevant to the betting decision.

Recent head-to-head

  • 2026-03-19New York Rangers 3 · Columbus Blue Jackets 6
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