St. Louis Blues vs. Colorado Avalanche Picks and Prediction for Wednesday, December 31, 2025
St. Louis Blues (15-17-8) vs. Colorado Avalanche (29-2-7)
The NHL betting action continues on New Year’s Eve, and in this preview, we are breaking down the Central Division showdown from Ball Arena in Denver, CO, to get you the Blues vs. Avalanche prediction.
St. Louis and Colorado open their three-game regular-season series, and the Blues aim for their fourth straight victory over the Avalanche. Colorado is the best team in the league this season, so the Avalanche open as surefire -360 moneyline favorites with a total of 5.5 goals.
Read more about this Blues vs. Avalanche prediction, and check out all our NHL picks for Wednesday’s card. The puck drop at Ball Arena is set at 9:00 PM ET.
Sign Up for Winners and Whiners News Alerts, Get Free Picks and Discounts
Subscribe Now
The Blues’ shaky form continues
The St. Louis Blues have gone 4-3-1 in their last eight games overall, alternating wins and losses in the process. They are sixth in the Central Division, 16 points behind the third-place Minnesota Wild, but the Blues are just three points behind the final wild card in the Western Conference.
The Blues are coming off Monday’s 4-2 home loss against the Buffalo Sabres. St. Louis blew a 2-1 lead, and the Sabres outshot the Blues 34-18 on the night. Joel Hofer gave up three goals on 33 shots, falling to 8-8-2 on the season.
Hofer has a 2.86 GAA and a .901 save percentage in 2025-26. He’s done a great job in December, going 5-3-0 with a 2.10 GAA and a .926 save percentage. Jordan Binnington is 7-9-6 with a troublesome 3.44 GAA and a .870 save percentage this season.
The Blues allow 3.38 goals per game (29th in the NHL) and score just 2.50 goals in return (32nd). Center Robert Thomas leads the way with nine goals and 20 assists, while winger Pavel Buchnevich has seven goals and 14 assists on his season tally.
The Avalanche continue to roll
The Colorado Avalanche are riding an eight-game winning streak. During that stretch, the Avs have scored 34 goals while yielding just 17 goals in return. Colorado boasts the best record in the NHL, and the Avalanche are eight points ahead of the Dallas Stars, who occupy second place in both the Central Division and the NHL.
The Avs are coming off Tuesday’s 5-2 home victory over the Los Angeles Kings. Five Avs found the back of the net, including forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Martin Necas, while Mackenzie Blackwood allowed two goals on 25 shots.
Blackwood advanced to 12-1-1 on the season, and the 29-year-old netminder holds a shiny 2.16 GAA and a .924 save percentage. Scott Wedgewood has been outstanding, too, going 17-1-4 with a 2.13 GAA and a .919 save percentage this season.
MacKinnon leads the charge for Colorado with 32 goals and 34 assists. Necas has amassed 19 goals and 31 assists, while defenseman Cale Makar has accounted for 12 goals and 32 helpers. The Avs tally 4.00 goals per game (1st in the NHL) and allow 2.18 goals in return (also 1st).
Blues vs. Avalanche Pick
| # | Handicapper | Profit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Tony Karpinski | +2,976.00 |
| 2 |  Joe Duffy | +2,595.00 |
| 3 |  The Insiders Room | +2,320.00 |
| 4 |  Mark Ruelle | +1,627.00 |
| 5 |  Jackie Mack | +1,451.00 |
Spread Pick for Blues vs. Avalanche
- Colorado Avalanche -1.5 (5 units)
I’m not going to overthink this game. It’s hard to step in front of this Colorado team, and St. Louis misses some important players. Winger Dylan Holloway (G8, A9) and centers Pius Suter (G7, A7) and Nick Bjugstad (G4, A1) are all on the IR.
Colorado’s offense at even strength has been magnificent this season, and the Avs lead the league in expected goals for. Their goaltending has been excellent, too, so whoever gets the nod on New Year’s Eve will give the team a strong chance.
On the other side, the Blues are 21st in the expected goals for at even strength. Joel Hofer is having a great month, but he’ll have a mountain to climb in this game. Colorado leads the NHL in shots per game (34.4).
Over/Under Pick for Blues vs. Avalanche
- Over 5.5 (5 units)
I’m a bit worried about the Blues’ offense, though St. Louis has scored at least two goals in three of its past four outings. On the other side, the Avs have scored at least four goals in six of their previous eight games overall.
Interestingly, the Avs are 26th in the league in power-play percentage (20-for-129, 15.5%). The Blues have struggled with the man down (77.4%, 25th in the NHL), whereas Colorado boasts the best penalty-killing percentage in the league (85.3%).
The total looks like a tricky wager. I will take the over because of the Avs’ prolific offense at even strength. The Avs could easily get things going with the man advantage when the Blues come to town.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
Bet $5 & Get $200
