Analyzing Friday’s St. Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche odds and lines, with NHL expert picks, predictions and best bets.

Welcome to another edition of NHL Predictions! It is the last day of January. The NHL has four games on the schedule today. As always, we will go around the league and examine each game, concluding with our prediction.

The Colorado Avalanche (29-21-2) open a two-game homestand against the St. Louis Blues (23-24-4) on Friday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:08 p.m. MT. READ MORE: Rantanen Deal Signals Change: Why MacFarland Should Be Rewarded With Patience (+) Martin Necas and Jack Drury are set to make their home debuts with the Avs.

In an ongoing search for a center to play the third line, Faksa gets his shot Friday; Blues look to avoid fourth straight loss

In 119 previous regular-season matchups, the Avalanche are 62-44-13 against the Blues. The Avs have won all three playoff series against the Blues, winning 4-1 in the 2001 Western Conference Final, 4-0 in the 2021 First Round and 4-2 in the 2022 Western Conference Second Round.

Earlier in the week, when Brandon Saad was placed on waivers, St. Louis Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong indicated he didn’t have any plans to recall a forward from the Springfield Thunderbirds to take his spot.

The St. Louis Blues visit the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night, and both teams are trying to break out of slumps.

BOTTOM LINE: The St. Louis Blues enter the matchup with the Colorado Avalanche after losing three games in a row. Colorado is 29-21-2 overall and 7-8-1 against the Central Division. The Avalanche have conceded 164 goals while scoring 169 for a +5 scoring differential.

Will Colorado blow out struggling St. Louis in Friday night’s Blues vs. Avalanche matchup at 9:00 p.m. ET? While the Aves are heavily favored on the moneyline, they also come with plus odds on the puckline.

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The tenure of two-time Stanley Cup-winning forward Brandon Saad with the Blues is coming to an official close.

The Vegas Golden Knights signed veteran forward Brandon Saad to a prorated one-year contract worth $1.5 million on Friday that spans the remainder of the season. Saad, 32, was waived by the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday and cleared on Wednesday. The Blues then placed Saad on unconditional waivers for the purpose of terminating his contract.