NHL – FREE PLAY: Blackhawks (51) vs. Panthers (52)

I am taking the Florida Panthers minus 1.5 goals. Chicago finished the 2024-25 campaign with a 25-46-11 record and finished last in the Central Division standings. Florida closed the regular season with a 47-31-4 mark to finish third in the Atlantic Division. The Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup. In the last 10 meetings between the teams, the Panthers are 7-3. Chicago was 26th in the league in scoring at 2.73 goals per game. They were 31st in the league in goals against, giving up 3.56 goals per game. Spencer Knight made 38 starts between Florida and Chicago last season, going 17-16-2 with a 2.72 GAA, a .901 save percentage. Florida was 15th in the league in goals per game at 3.00. The Panthers were 7th in goals against, allowing 2.72 goals a game. Sergei Bobrovsky went 33-19-2 last season with a 2.44 GAA, a .905 save percentage, and five shutouts. Florida will be without two of their top three-point scorers. The Blackhawks have a new coach in Jeff Blashill, and he will try to turn around a struggling team. Florida has the depth to weather the two injuries to Barkov and Tkachuk. The Panthers were 27-12-2 at home in the regular season last year. Chicago was just 10-26-5 on the road in 2024-25 and has dropped the last eight games against the Panthers in Sunrise.  On those eight losses five came by multiple goals. I look for the Panthers to open the season with a big win. 

Play: take the Florida minus 1.5 goals. -105