Columbus Blue Jackets vs St. Louis Blues Picks, Prediction, Odds, and Line Movement for Saturday October 10 2026

Columbus travels to St. Louis after a 3-2 shootout victory over Pittsburgh on Friday, setting up another quick turnaround against a Blues team still looking for its rhythm. The Blue Jackets are 2-1, while St. Louis is 1-2-1 after a 3-2 overtime loss to San Jose. Both clubs have a plausible route to winning Saturday, but the rest differential and the changes to Columbus' defense make the home side the more appealing selection at a moderate price.

Columbus has shown resilience, particularly in its ability to recover when games become tight. St. Louis has struggled to finish despite enough skill to create scoring chances. The matchup should hinge on which team's top centers can control offensive-zone possessions and whether the Blue Jackets can maintain their usual pace after playing Friday night.

Adam Fantilli leads Columbus' projected top line with Matthew Knies and Kent Johnson. The group can attack off the rush and through controlled entries, giving the Jackets a way to threaten without spending an entire shift in the offensive zone. Their second line features Valeri Nichushkin, Sean Monahan and Dmitri Voronkov, adding size and finish. Columbus is not a one-line offense, and that is why it cannot be dismissed simply because of the travel.

The defensive group is less secure. Ivan Provorov and Dante Fabbro are both sidelined, forcing Zach Werenski to shoulder the most important puck-moving and matchup work. Damon Severson and Denton Mateychuk can contribute, but the visitors have fewer experienced choices when the Blues establish pressure. St. Louis should seek to test the secondary pairs with puck cycles and force Columbus to defend through sustained shifts rather than just one entry.

Cam Talbot handled Friday's victory and made 20 saves, leaving Jet Greaves as the projected Saturday starter. That rotation makes sense given the back-to-back. Greaves can be effective, yet the goaltending change introduces variance against an opponent with Robert Thomas and high-end puck movement across its attack. Columbus needs help from its centers and defensemen to avoid repeated uncovered chances around the crease.

Robert Thomas is expected to center Dylan Holloway and Jimmy Snuggerud, while Mason McTavish works with Connor McMichael and Jonatan Berggren. That top-six structure gives St. Louis multiple routes to the net. McTavish is especially useful against a depleted defense because he can protect the puck along the boards and keep an attack alive after the initial shot is blocked.

St. Louis has its own injury problems. Dillon Dube is out with a neck injury and will be reassessed in about eight weeks, while Tyler Tucker and Logan Mailloux remain absent on defense. Zach Dean is expected to enter the lineup. Those changes limit the advantage of home ice, although the Blues still have Colton Parayko, Philip Broberg and Cam Fowler to help move the puck from their own end.

Jordan Binnington is confirmed to make his second start of the season after allowing six goals in an earlier loss to Colorado. That outing is a warning but not enough to establish his current level. Facing an opponent on the second night of a back-to-back should help the Blues play in front of him more effectively, particularly if St. Louis keeps Columbus away from transition chances and avoids trading odd-man rushes.

St. Louis opened close to -127 and later traded around -132, with Columbus near +111. That modest movement suggests a market that recognizes the Blues' situational advantage without treating them as a dominant favorite. The home price is still below the -150 ceiling, and unlike the more expensive favorites elsewhere on the slate, St. Louis does not require an alternate puck-line wager.

The Jackets should be dangerous early, when Fantilli and Werenski can dictate the first several possessions. Over three periods, however, the absence of Provorov and Fabbro and the condensed schedule may show in defensive coverage and puck exits. St. Louis needs patient pressure, not a track meet, because Columbus' top six can punish careless pinches. That is the basis for a narrow Blues win.

The Thomas line against Fantilli is the matchup to watch. Both centers can create offense in space, but Thomas should benefit if Columbus has to spread its healthier defensemen across several Blues lines. St. Louis can make the game difficult by forcing the visitors into repeated long defensive shifts.

Best Bet: St. Louis Blues moneyline at -135 or better. The Blues have a more favorable rest situation and enough center depth to test the Jackets' weakened blue line. Binnington remains a source of uncertainty, keeping the stake modest, but Columbus faces a difficult turnaround after Friday's shootout victory.