Puck drop 7:30 p.m. ET
Venue: UBS Arena, Elmont, New York
TV/Streaming: ESPN+, CHSN, MSGSN
This non-conference matchup features two teams searching for consistency early in the 2026-27 season. The Blackhawks look to build on a recent home win after a rough road trip, while the Islanders host following a loss to their cross-town rivals and significant defensive injury news.
Injury Reports
Chicago Blackhawks
Connor Bedard (C): Out (shoulder surgery), IR; projected return mid-to-late November.
Andrew Mangiapane (LW): Out (lower-body), IR (placed retroactive to late September; week-to-week).
Teuvo Teravainen (C/LW): Out (undisclosed); will not play Thursday.
Ryan Ellis (D): Out for season (back).
Bowen Byram (D): Day-to-day/personal in some reports (monitor status).
New York Islanders
Mathew Barzal (C): Out (knee inflammation), IR-NR; expected to resume skating soon (possibly Thursday or shortly after) but unlikely for this game.
Alexander Romanov (D): Out 6-8 months (torn right ACL, surgery required); sustained Tuesday vs. Rangers.
Projected Goalies
Chicago: Spencer Knight (projected starter).
New York: Ilya Sorokin (projected starter; strong early numbers including a shutout).
Current Rosters / Key Players
Chicago Blackhawks (young core + veterans; missing Bedard):
Forwards – Patrick Kane, Tyler Bertuzzi, Frank Nazar, Anton Frondell, Oliver Moore, Jordan Greenway, Ryan Donato, Ryan Greene, Roman Kantserov, Cole Smith, Nick Lardis (plus depth).
Defense – Alex Vlasic, Artyom Levshunov, Wyatt Kaiser, Ian Cole, Sam Rinzel, Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro, Bowen Byram (status TBD).
Goalies – Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom.
New York Islanders (structured group missing Barzal and now Romanov):
Forwards – Bo Horvat, Kyle Palmieri, Brayden Schenn, Anthony Duclair, Simon Holmstrom, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Casey Cizikas, Emil Heineman, Ondrej Palat, Calum Ritchie, Victor Eklund, Matias Maccelli, Kyle MacLean.
Defense – Matthew Schaefer, Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, Tony DeAngelo, Logan Stanley, Scott Mayfield, Matthew Kessel (Romanov out long-term).
Goalies – Ilya Sorokin, Semyon Varlamov.
Chicago leans on Kane’s skill and young talent (Nazar, Frondell, Levshunov). The Islanders emphasize structure around Horvat, Palmieri, and a blue line now thinner without Romanov.
Recent Team Forms
Chicago (1-3-0): Opened with three road losses (outscored heavily), then earned first win 4-2 vs. St. Louis on Oct. 6 (Kane return impact noted). Low scoring early (~2.25 GF/G) and high goals against (~4.25 GA/G). One day of rest.
New York (1-2-0): Mixed start with a strong 6-0 home win over New Jersey, losses at Toronto and to the Rangers (5-2 on Oct. 6). Solid early goaltending from Sorokin; defensive structure tested by Romanov’s injury. One day of rest; home ice.
Series History / Head-to-Head
All-time series is competitive and roughly even (Blackhawks hold a slight historical edge in some counts). Recent meetings have been tight or low-to-mid scoring:
Multiple close games in 2024-25 and 2025, including Islanders wins and Blackhawks responses.
Chicago has shown ability to steal points, but New York’s home record and structure often prevail in recent years. No dominant streak either way lately.
Key Player vs. Player Matchups
Patrick Kane / Frank Nazar / Tyler Bertuzzi (Chicago skill line) vs. Bo Horvat / Kyle Palmieri and Islanders top defense (Schaefer-Pulock): Kane’s playmaking against Horvat’s two-way game and New York’s structured checking.
Artyom Levshunov / Alex Vlasic vs. Anthony Duclair / Simon Holmstrom depth: Young Blackhawks blue line against Islanders secondary scoring.
Spencer Knight vs. Ilya Sorokin: Volume/early inconsistency for Knight against Sorokin’s strong start and elite ability.
Special teams and physicality: Islanders’ PK strength and forecheck vs. Chicago’s early PP struggles and need for secondary production without Bedard. Islanders have last change at home.
Betting Trends
Trends favor the home side given Chicago’s road struggles, goaltending disparity early, and the Islanders’ structure (despite injuries). Lower totals reflect both teams’ early defensive leanings in some games.
Game Odds
Chicago Blackhawks 5.5
New York Islanders – 181
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Wednesday, October 7, 2026
