The Chicago Blackhawks have eyes on contending for playoff spots, and they showed that this offseason by trading the fourth overall pick in the draft for Bowen Byram. That wasn't a move a rebuilding team would make if they didn't think they were ready to transition to the next stage. The Blackhawks' problem this offseason came from a casual practice for Connor Bedard back home in British Columbia. Chicago's new captain re-injured his shoulder, which led to a procedure that could keep him out of game action for the first month of the season. They'll now face a hungry Vegas Golden Knights team on opening night after losing in last season's Stanley Cup Final.
The Golden Knights lost Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers, who will be replaced by one of the team's top prospects, Trevor Connelly. Otherwise, the team returns much of the same lineup, including goaltender Carter Hart, who returned to the league last season and nearly led Vegas to an unlikely Stanley Cup. As for this game, the Blackhawks may be without Bedard, but young forwards like Roman Kantserov and Anton Frondell hope to pick up the slack, while franchise legend Patrick Kane will play his first game with the team since the 2022-23 season. With questions about Vegas’ goaltending, Chicago’s defense, and two high-potential offenses, the last game of opening night could be high-scoring.
Blackhawks vs Golden Knights prediction: Over 5.5 (-135) available at time of publishing. Playable at that number.
