Puck drop: 3:00 p.m. ET
Venue: United Center, Chicago, Illinois
TV: CHSN / SCRIPPS (local), SN / TVAS (Canada), ESPN+
The Panthers visit the United Center for a matinee against a struggling Blackhawks squad. Florida sits with 12 points while Chicago has just 6 points and ranks near the bottom of the league in several key categories. Both teams enter on two-game losing streaks.
Injury Reports
Florida Panthers:
Jacob Markstrom (G, upper body) — Out / Injured Reserve (expected mid-November return).
Aleksander Barkov (C, knee/lower body) — Out / Long-term Injured Reserve.
Brad Marchand (LW, leg/knee) — Out / Injured Reserve.
Jonah Gadjovich (LW, neck/upper body) — Out / Injured Reserve.
Gustav Forsling (D, upper body) — Day-to-Day (left previous game after taking a puck to the face; status for Sunday monitored, projected to potentially return).
Chicago Blackhawks:
Bowen Byram (D, upper body) — Day-to-Day / Expected out (skated in non-contact; missed recent games).
Ryan Ellis (D, back) — Out for season (noted on longer-term reports).
Current Rosters / Projected Lineups
Panthers projected lineup:
Forwards:
Brady Tkachuk – Sam Bennett – Matthew Tkachuk
Sandis Vilmanis – Carter Verhaeghe – Sam Reinhart
Lars Eller – Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell
Bokondji Imama – Cole Schwindt – Garnet Hathaway Defense:
Gustav Forsling – Aaron Ekblad
Niko Mikkola – Seth Jones
Dmitry Kulikov – Radko Gudas Goalies: Akira Schmid (projected starter) / Cooper Black Scratches: Uvis Balinskis, Cole Reinhardt.
Blackhawks projected lineup:
Forwards:
Roman Kantserov – Connor Bedard – Patrick Kane
Tyler Bertuzzi – Anton Frondell – Jordan Greenway
Teuvo Teravainen – Frank Nazar – Ryan Donato
Cole Smith – Ryan Greene – Andrew Mangiapane (activated from IR, expected to play) Defense:
Alex Vlasic – Ian Cole
Wyatt Kaiser – Artyom Levshunov
Kevin Korchinski – Sam Rinzel Goalies: Spencer Knight (recent starter) or Arvid Soderblom Scratches: Ethan Del Mastro, Oliver Moore.
Florida’s top line of the Tkachuk brothers with Bennett remains a primary threat. Chicago relies heavily on Bedard and Kane for offense.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Brady Tkachuk / Matthew Tkachuk vs. Chicago defense (Vlasic/Cole and others): Physical net-front presence and cycle game against a young/rebuilding Blackhawks blue line.
Sam Reinhart / Carter Verhaeghe vs. Connor Bedard line: Secondary scoring and defensive responsibility against Chicago’s top offensive unit.
Aaron Ekblad / Seth Jones vs. Patrick Kane / Tyler Bertuzzi: Experience and physicality matching veteran skill and secondary scoring.
Goaltending: Akira Schmid vs. Spencer Knight (or Soderblom): Schmid steps in with Markstrom out; Chicago’s netminding has been inconsistent.
Special teams: Florida’s stronger power play and penalty kill against Chicago’s league-worst PP percentage.
Recent Team Forms
Panthers: 5-4-2 overall (4-4-2 in last 10). Coming off a 4-0 shutout loss at Pittsburgh. Earlier wins mixed with OT results. Offense led by Brady Tkachuk’s strong start; defense and goaltending depth tested by injuries.
Blackhawks: 3-7-0 overall. Recent losses include 4-1 to Montreal. Low goal production (around 2.2 GF/GP, near bottom of league) and high goals against (around 4.0). Bedard and Kane provide flashes, but consistency is lacking. Home record mixed early.
Florida holds the clearer talent and experience edge despite missing key veterans.
Series History
First meeting of the 2026-27 season. Recent history has favored the Panthers, including wins in prior seasons. Chicago has occasionally pulled off upsets at home, but Florida has generally controlled the matchup with superior depth and structure.
Betting Trends
Florida has been a solid road favorite against weaker opponents. Chicago’s poor special teams and defensive metrics make covering large spreads difficult. Totals have trended toward the under in some recent Blackhawks home games due to offensive struggles, though Florida’s attack can push higher numbers.
Game Odds
Florida Panthers – 183
Chicago Blackhawks 6.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, October 24, 2026
