Montreal Canadiens vs. Columbus Blue Jackets Picks and Prediction for Monday, November 17, 2025
Montreal Canadiens (10-6-2) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (9-7-2)
The 2025-26 NHL season continues Monday, November 17, with the Montreal Canadiens taking on the Columbus Blue Jackets in the Eastern Conference showdown at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH, and we’ve got you covered with our Canadiens vs. Blue Jackets prediction.
Montreal meets Columbus for the first time this season. The Canadiens took two out of three games against the Blue Jackets in 2024-25, and Columbus has only won one of its previous eight encounters with Montreal.
Let’s take a closer look at this Canadiens vs. Blue Jackets prediction, one of our NHL picks for Monday’s card. The Jackets open as -118 moneyline favorites with a total of 6.0 goals, and the puck drop is set at 7:30 PM ET.
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The Canadiens hope to snap a three-game skid
The Montreal Canadiens have only won one of their previous six games overall. After stopping a two-game slide with a 6-2 home victory over the Utah Mammoth, the Canadiens have dropped three straight home contests against the Los Angeles Kings 5-1, the Dallas Stars 7-0, and the Boston Bruins 3-2.
Sam Montembeault was in the crease against the Kings and Bruins, while Jakub Dobes guarded the cage in that embarrassing loss to the Stars for 40 minutes before he was pulled off. Dobes is now 6-1-1 with a 2.70 GAA and a .901 save percentage, while Montembeault carries a 4-5-1 record with a 3.56 GAA and a .858 save percentage.
The Canadiens allow 3.39 goals per game (25th in the NHL) and score 3.33 goals in return (tied for 6th). They boast the highest shooting percentage in the league (13.4%). Center Nick Suzuki leads the way with four goals and 17 assists, while winger Cole Caufield has amassed 13 goals and six dishes.
Montreal cannot count on defenseman Kaiden Guhle, winger Patrik Laine, and centers Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach due to injuries. Newhook has done a good job this season, notching six goals and six assists across 17 appearances.
The Blue Jackets are back on a losing track
The Columbus Blue Jackets have gone 2-3-2 over their previous seven games overall. After stopping a four-game slide with a pair of wins against the Seattle Kraken 2-1 in a shootout and the Edmonton Oilers 5-4, the Blue Jackets suffered a 2-1 shootout defeat to the New York Rangers this past Saturday.
Jet Greaves made his fourth straight start on Saturday and posted 31 saves, but he turned just one shot aside in a shootout. Greaves is now 5-4-2 with a 2.80 GAA and a .904 save percentage in 2025-26, while Elvis Merzlikins is 4-3-0 with a 3.14 GAA and a .908 save percentage.
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Bruce Marshall | +781.00 |
| 2 |  Jesse Schule | +576.00 |
| 3 |  Brick Haus Sports | +326.00 |
| 4 |  Rob Vincilleti | +240.00 |
| 5 |  Jackie Mack | +240.00 |
The Blue Jackets allow 3.11 goals per game (tied for 18th in the NHL) and tally 3.00 goals in return (also tied for 18th). They are 27th in the league in shooting percentage. Winger Kirill Marchenko leads the charge with eight goals and 12 assists, while fellow winger Dmitri Voronkov has accounted for seven goals and seven assists.
Center Boone Jenner was placed on the IR last Saturday. He’s amassed three goals and seven dishes in 16 games this season.
Canadiens vs. Blue Jackets Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Earle Sports Bets | +2,298.00 |
| 2 |  Ross Benjamin | +1,840.00 |
| 3 | Rob Vincilleti | +1,757.00 |
| 4 |  David Hess | +1,745.00 |
| 5 |  Dan Kaiser | +987.00 |
Moneyline Pick for Canadiens vs. Blue Jackets
- Montreal Canadiens (5 units)
The Canadiens desperately need more from their defense and goaltending, but they also need to rediscover their offensive rhythm. Montreal has only scored three goals over its last three games, and I expect the Canadiens to bounce back at Columbus on Monday night.
I think that playing on the road is a good thing for the Canadiens, especially after three straight defeats on home ice. The Blue Jackets allow too many shots per game (31.4), and their penalty killing has been pretty bad thus far (72.9%, 27th in the NHL).
Moreover, Columbus is just 7-for-43 with the man advantage (24th). On the other side, Montreal has converted 12 of its 56 power-play opportunities (11th).
Over/Under Pick for Canadiens vs. Blue Jackets
- Over 6.0 (5 units)
It’s hard to predict who will get the starting call for the Canadiens on Monday. Sam Montembeault is having a bad season. He gave up three goals on 23 shots to the Bruins last Saturday. Jakub Dobes has been excellent until that ugly loss to the Stars.
Anyway, I lean on the Canadiens’ offense to get things going and make a difference in this game. The Blue Jackets will find a way to add to the scoreboard, so give me the over on the total. Nine of the Canadiens’ last 10 games have gone over, while the Jackets have allowed at least four goals in four of their previous six outings.
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