St. Louis Blues vs Winnipeg Jets Prediction | NHL 20.01.26

The NHL regular season brings us a compelling Central Division matchup on January 20, 2026, as the St. Louis Blues (19-22-8) travel to Canada Life Centre to face the Winnipeg Jets (19-23-6) at 8:00 PM. Both teams find themselves in a challenging stretch, battling for consistency and positioning in a competitive Western Conference. This encounter presents a crucial opportunity for either side to gain momentum.

The St. Louis Blues enter this game with a sub-.500 record, indicative of a team struggling to find a consistent winning formula. Their performance has been characterized by flashes of brilliance often overshadowed by periods of inconsistency, particularly in offensive output. While they boast a solid defensive core with players like Colton Parayko and Justin Faulk, their ability to convert chances into goals has been a recurring issue. The Blues often rely on a gritty, physical game, but their power play and overall offensive efficiency will need to improve to climb the standings. Goaltending from Jordan Binnington and Joel Hofer has been adequate, but often under pressure due to defensive lapses.

The Winnipeg Jets, despite a slightly worse record than the Blues, have shown periods of high-level play, largely fueled by their top offensive talents. Their recent performance has been hampered by defensive injuries, testing the depth of their blue line. At home, the Jets can be a formidable opponent, leveraging their speed and skill. However, their consistency has wavered, leading to their current standing. The team’s power play can be dangerous, but like the Blues, they’ve struggled with overall offensive depth beyond their primary scorers. Connor Hellebuyck remains a Vezina-caliber goaltender, often stealing games, but he can only do so much with a depleted defensive corps.

Considering the current form and key player contributions, the Winnipeg Jets are poised to take this divisional battle. While both teams have struggled with consistency, the offensive firepower of Mark Scheifele (58 points) is a significant differentiator that the Blues’ more balanced, but less explosive, offense may struggle to match. Despite defensive injuries, the Jets’ home-ice advantage and the elite goaltending of Hellebuyck should provide the necessary edge. The Blues’ reliance on Buchnevich and Neighbours might not be enough to overcome Scheifele’s dominant individual performance.

Predicted Winner: Winnipeg Jets -1.5 (Spread)

Total Goals Prediction: Over 5.5