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Blue Jackets vs. Sabres prediction: Buffalo favored to win Thursday's NHL matchup [4/9/2026]
Updated: | First published:
Written by Nick Slade, Chief Content Officer
Get Columbus Blue Jackets vs Buffalo Sabres predictions for NHL Thursday.
The Buffalo Sabres will take on the Columbus Blue Jackets, in what is expected to be a close NHL game, at KeyBank Center on Thursday, commencing at 7:00 PM ET.
Based on updated simulations, Dimers' proven NHL model gives the Sabres a slight edge with a 53% win probability over the Blue Jackets.
This article offers an expanded analysis of Thursday's Blue Jackets vs. Sabres matchup, including projected goal scorers, best bets and player prop picks.
Blue Jackets vs. Sabres prediction: Who will win and cover?
Using trusted machine learning and statistical analysis, we have simulated the outcome of Thursday's NHL game between the Blue Jackets and Sabres, forming part of our NHL predictions coverage.
Our famous predictive model gives the Sabres a 53% chance of defeating the Blue Jackets.
According to our model, the Blue Jackets (+1.5) have a 67% chance of covering the puck line, while the 6.5-goal over/under has a 54% chance of staying under.
Blue Jackets vs. Sabres odds
We have sourced the best NHL odds in America for this game, which are listed here:
| Bet Type | Blue Jackets | Sabres |
|---|---|---|
| Puck Line | +1.5 (-250) | -1.5 (+220) |
| Moneyline | -110 | -110 |
| Total | o6.5 (+105) | u6.5 (-125) |
All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.
Blue Jackets vs. Sabres picks and best bet
After matching our predictions against the best current odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:
| Bet Type | Pick | Bet Now |
|---|---|---|
| Puck Line | Sabres -1.5 | +220 |
| Moneyline | Sabres | -110 |
| Total | Under 6.5 | -125 |
According to our NHL best bets, the top play to make on this game is Sabres -1.5 at the spread.
These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the sportsbook odds.
Blue Jackets vs. Sabres player props
Who will score a goal in Blue Jackets vs. Sabres?
According to our model, Tage Thompson is most likely to score an anytime goal in Blue Jackets vs. Sabres.
Our projections give Thompson a 40.1% chance of scoring a goal at KeyBank Center, while the star is an 8.1% chance of netting the first goal the game.
Anytime goal scorer predictions
Columbus Blue Jackets
| Player | Anytime Goal Probability |
|---|---|
| Adam Fantilli | 33.3% |
| Kirill Marchenko | 30.3% |
| Mason Marchment | 25.4% |
| Zach Werenski | 20.5% |
| Charlie Coyle | 19.8% |
Buffalo Sabres
| Player | Anytime Goal Probability |
|---|---|
| Tage Thompson | 40.1% |
| Alex Tuch | 35.6% |
| Jason Zucker | 28.0% |
| Josh Norris | 25.9% |
| Jack Quinn | 24.9% |
First goal scorer predictions
Columbus Blue Jackets
| Player | First Goal Probability |
|---|---|
| Adam Fantilli | 6.4% |
| Kirill Marchenko | 5.2% |
| Mason Marchment | 5.0% |
| Zach Werenski | 3.8% |
| Sean Monahan | 3.6% |
Buffalo Sabres
| Player | First Goal Probability |
|---|---|
| Tage Thompson | 8.1% |
| Alex Tuch | 7.0% |
| Jason Zucker | 4.8% |
| Jack Quinn | 4.7% |
| Josh Norris | 4.4% |
Blue Jackets vs. Sabres game-day updates and essential details
Thursday's game between the Sabres and Blue Jackets at KeyBank Center is scheduled to start at 7:00 PM ET.
- Who: Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Buffalo Sabres
- Date: Thursday, April 9, 2026
- Time: 7:00 PM ET/4:00PM PT
- Venue: KeyBank Center
Conclusion
We predict the Sabres, with a 53% win probability, will likely beat the Blue Jackets in Thursday's NHL matchup.
Additional tools and information for betting safely can be found in our Responsible Gambling hub.
Nick Slade, with nearly two decades of experience, is the Chief Content Officer at Cipher Sports Technology Group, overseeing content for Dimers. He specializes in soccer, NBA, and NHL betting, leveraging predictive analytics and machine learning to provide accurate betting insights.
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