Thursday's slate of NHL action is chalk full of marquee matchups across the league with 12 games for fans to enjoy. One of the most intriguing games on the board is the league's most valuable franchise in the Toronto Maple Leafs, looking to bounce back after losses in five of their last eight games when facing off against a team that normally gives them trouble in the Columbus Blue Jackets.
For anyone following our Pad Stack challenge, the mission has not changed. We began with a ten dollar bankroll and continue to grow it through calculated, research-driven plays.
Our previous run ended on Monday at a season-high total of $411.47 before a last-minute empty-netter from the Florida Panthers spoiled our Vancouver spread. We are now rebuilding after resetting to $54.25, boosted by the Washington Capitals offensive outburst against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. Our aim is to keep climbing with a confident selection from Thursday's Leafs-Jackets clash.
All betting lines are from BetMGM Sportsbook and are subject to change. Hockey is a difficult sport to predict so please gamble responsibly.
Sign up with BetMGM, make a deposit, and place your first wager on any game using your First Bet Offer token. If that bet with the token applied loses, you’ll get your original stake paid back in Bonus Bets, up to $1,500! Get in the game today with BetMGM.
Islanders' Matthew Schaefer, Avalanche's Cale Makar Already Near-Locks in NHL Award RacesAn 18-year-old phenom and a Norris contender are dominating early NHL award races, setting impressive records and dazzling fans.Picks: Leafs ML, Over 5.5 Goals, Kirill Marchenko Over 0.5 Points (+350)
The last time these teams met, the Blue Jackets overwhelmed a struggling Maple Leafs defense by scoring six times in a 6–3 victory. Toronto has shown some signs of improvement on the defensive side, highlighted by its 3–2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, but the issues are still very much present. The Leafs rank second-worst in the league in goals allowed per game at 3.70, a weakness that has been masked only by their strong offense, which averages 3.50 goals per game and sits among the NHL’s top four.
Toronto’s games have consistently turned into high-scoring matchups, and Thursday’s game is expected to follow the same pattern. Columbus has won six of its last nine meetings with Toronto, with many of those contests producing plenty of goals. The teams have combined for six or more goals in ten of their past thirteen games, and Toronto’s defensive troubles suggest that this trend will continue.
The Blue Jackets have also found some momentum, winning three of their last five games, which should give them confidence heading into this matchup. Even so, this is a spot where Toronto is positioned to rebound at home. A win here would help them reverse both their recent record against Columbus and their overall trend of losing five of their last six games.
Toronto will likely still concede a few goals, and one of the biggest threats is Columbus forward Kirill Marchenko. The 25-year-old winger leads the team with eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points in 20 games. He has also performed well against the Leafs recently, earning points in three of their last four meetings for a total of one goal and three assists.
Combining a Blue Jackets player to record a point with a Leafs win creates a strong same-game parlay opportunity. A wager of $54.25 on this parlay would return a profit of $189.88 for a total payout of $244.13, giving us a nice boost heading into the weekend.
Are The Detroit Red Wings For Real?Detroit's surprising start defies middling stats. Can a youth-fueled surge finally end the playoff drought?
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.