The Florida Panthers visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at Nationwide Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. ET, though one market listing shows 6:25 p.m. EDT, so viewers should confirm the start time closer to game day.
Game Details
- Matchup: Florida Panthers at Columbus Blue Jackets
- Date: Tuesday, October 13, 2026
- Scheduled puck drop: 6:15 p.m. ET
- Venue: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
The matchup appears on the Blue Jackets’ official schedule information. A separate odds listing gives a 6:25 p.m. EDT start, creating a minor discrepancy but still placing the game in the same early-evening window.
Matchup Breakdown
Columbus enters at 2-2-0, with two victories in its first four games and a one-game losing streak, according to PuckFeed’s Blue Jackets schedule. The Blue Jackets last played October 10 in St. Louis, giving them two full days without a game before returning home.
That rest and home-ice setting are the clearest advantages for Columbus. The Blue Jackets should have had enough time to reset following their previous game, while Florida is continuing a road swing. The available research does not indicate that the Panthers are playing the second half of a back-to-back, but their travel demands are still greater than those facing Columbus.
Florida’s early trip has nevertheless included encouraging results, including a shutout victory and an overtime point. An official Panthers road-trip preview provides the relevant context. Those results are not enough to establish a broad statistical edge, but they do show that Florida has already been competitive away from home.
No verified current-season power-play or penalty-kill percentages were available in the supplied research. That limits any special-teams comparison and makes it unwise to build a pick around an unsupported assumption about either club’s efficiency.
Goalies and Injury Watch
Projected goalies: Jet Greaves is the likely Columbus starter based on recent usage, while Jacob Markstrom is projected for Florida through a season depth-chart listing. Neither assignment has been officially confirmed, and both should be treated as projections until the teams provide game-day updates.
Goaltending is particularly important to the Columbus outlook. A broader Blue Jackets season preview identified the position as a question, with competition for the leading role. If Greaves starts, his performance could determine whether Columbus converts its rest and home-ice advantages into a win.
No current official injury report or confirmed lineup changes for this matchup were located. A previous note concerning Ivan Provorov’s expected return was tied to Columbus’ October 10 game and does not confirm his status for October 13. Bettors should therefore check morning-skate reports rather than treating either lineup as settled.
Odds and Betting Considerations
Odds were checked through AgentBets.ai on October 12, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. UTC. Caesars listed Florida at +104 on the moneyline, while betPARX had Columbus at -115.
The puck line was Columbus -1.5, with betPARX offering +220 on that side. BetMGM listed Florida +1.5 at -235. The total was 5.5 goals, with DraftKings pricing the over at -130 and FanDuel offering the under at +114.
Another odds source displayed substantially different earlier numbers, including Florida at -300 and a total of six goals. Because that listing conflicts sharply with the later market snapshot, prices should be verified directly with the sportsbook before placing a wager.
The primary moneyline numbers frame this as a close matchup. Columbus’ modest favorite status reflects a plausible case built around rest and home ice, but laying -115 is not especially attractive when the starting goalies and current injury situations remain unconfirmed.
Prediction
Prediction: Panthers 3, Blue Jackets 2.
Florida is the pick to win a close game, with the Panthers’ productive early road results outweighing Columbus’ rest advantage by a narrow margin. At the quoted Caesars price of +104, Florida also offers a more appealing risk-reward profile than backing Columbus as the favorite. That assessment applies only if a comparable plus-money price remains available after goalie confirmations.
The main uncertainty is in net. Neither projected starter is confirmed, and Columbus entered the season with broader questions at the position. The lack of verified injury and special-teams information adds further volatility. For those reasons, the moneyline is preferable to forcing a totals play or laying a heavily priced Florida +1.5.
