The big picture

Columbus Blue Jackets come in 24th on the ladder; Detroit Red Wings are 23rd. Only a couple of spots separate them, so there is plenty riding on it.

Columbus Blue Jackets are 10–9 in NHL 2026-27, averaging 2.6 goals for and 2.8 against.

Detroit Red Wings are 9–12 in NHL 2026-27, averaging 2.9 goals for and 3 against.

Form

Columbus Blue Jackets have won two of their last five and most recently lost to Buffalo Sabres 2–5.

Detroit Red Wings have won two of their last five and most recently lost to Vegas Golden Knights 1–2.

Head to head

These sides have met 71 times on our records since 2009: Columbus Blue Jackets 39, Detroit Red Wings 32.

Last time out (2026-27), Columbus Blue Jackets won 4–2 at Little Caesars Arena.

Columbus Blue Jackets have won the last four against Detroit Red Wings.

Biggest margin between these two: Detroit Red Wings by 8 goals in 2009-10 (9–1).

Players to watch

For Columbus Blue Jackets, watch Kent Johnson (0.5 goals a game, 9 assists in 2026-27) and Cole Sillinger (0.3 goals a game, 5 assists in 2026-27).

For Detroit Red Wings, watch Alex DeBrincat (0.4 goals a game, 9 assists in 2026-27) and Viktor Arvidsson (0.4 goals a game, 8 assists in 2026-27).

Milestone watch

Cole Sillinger is 1 assists short of 100 for their career.

At Nationwide Arena

Columbus Blue Jackets have won 11 of their last 22 at Nationwide Arena.

What the numbers say

On the numbers this is too close to split.