The Stanley Cup Champion Florida Panthers begin their title defense on home ice against Connor Bedard and the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks at Amerant Bank Arena. The puck drops at 5 p.m. ET on ESPN, marking the first game of the new NHL season.
Florida enters as a heavy favorite behind elite goaltending and top-tier scoring from Sam Reinhart and Aleksander Barkov Jr., while Chicago will rely on Bedard’s skill and Ryan Donato’s emerging offensive touch to stay competitive. Let’s break down the odds, trends, and prop bets for this Sunshine State showdown.
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📺 Where To Watch Blackhawks vs. Panthers? (October 7, 2025)
| Detail | Information |
| Matchup | Chicago Blackhawks vs. Florida Panthers |
| Date | Tuesday, October 7, 2025 |
| Time | 5:00 p.m. ET |
| Venue | Amerant Bank Arena – Sunrise, Florida |
| TV | ESPN |
| Live Stream | Fubo (Free Trial) |
💰 Betting Odds
| Team | Puck Line | Moneyline | Total (O/U) |
| Chicago Blackhawks | +1.5 (+231) | +229 | O 5.5 (-130) |
| Florida Panthers | -1.5 (-287) | -284 | U 5.5 (+110) |
🧊 Projected Starters
| Team | Goalie | Record (2024-25) | GAA | SV% |
| Florida Panthers | Sergei Bobrovsky | 33-19-2 | 2.77 | .914 |
| Chicago Blackhawks | Spencer Knight | 17-16-3 | 2.70 | .902 |
📊 Team Trends
| Category | Panthers | Blackhawks |
| Goals per Game (2024-25) | 3.0 (15th) | 2.7 (26th) |
| Goals Allowed per Game | 2.7 (7th) | 3.6 (31st) |
| Power Play % | 23.8 (11th) | 24.9 (8th) |
| Penalty Kill % | 80.7 (12th) | 75.1 (28th) |
| Goal Differential | +23 | -68 |
🐾 Panthers Key Players
| Player | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- |
| Sam Reinhart | 79 | 39 | 42 | 81 | +18 |
| Aleksander Barkov Jr. | 67 | 20 | 51 | 71 | +21 |
| Matthew Tkachuk | 52 | 22 | 35 | 57 | +14 |
| Carter Verhaeghe | 81 | 20 | 33 | 53 | +17 |
| Sam Bennett | 76 | 25 | 26 | 51 | +12 |
🦅 Blackhawks Key Players
| Player | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- |
| Connor Bedard | 82 | 23 | 44 | 67 | -14 |
| Ryan Donato | 80 | 31 | 31 | 62 | -8 |
| Teuvo Teravainen | 82 | 15 | 43 | 58 | -11 |
| Tyler Bertuzzi | 82 | 23 | 23 | 46 | -10 |
| Matt Grzelcyk | 82 | 1 | 39 | 40 | +5 |
🎯 Best Bets & Betting Insights
- The Over (5.5) has hit in 58 of 105 Panthers games and 52 Blackhawks games last season.
- The Panthers were 5-2 when listed as -300 or shorter on the moneyline.
- Chicago covered the puck line in 53% of their away games last season.
- Florida outscored opponents 19-7 in their final four home games last year.
ATS Pick: Panthers (-1.5)
O/U Pick: Over (5.5)
Score Prediction: Panthers 5 – Blackhawks 1
🔥 Top Prop Bets
| Prop | Pick | Odds |
| Sam Reinhart Anytime Goal | ✅ Yes | +125 |
| Connor Bedard Over 2.5 Shots on Goal | ✅ Yes | -115 |
| Sam Bennett Anytime Goal | ✅ Yes | +160 |
| Total Team Goals – Panthers Over 3.5 | ✅ Yes | -105 |
| First Goal Scorer: Matthew Tkachuk | ✅ Yes | +650 |
💵 ClutchBuzz Parlay of the Night
| Leg | Bet | Odds |
| Panthers ML (-284) | ✅ | |
| Over 5.5 Goals (-130) | ✅ | |
| Sam Reinhart Anytime Goal (+125) | ✅ | |
| Total Combined Odds: | +370 |
🔥 Potential Payout: $100 → $470 total return
🏆 Final ClutchBuzz Blackhawks vs. Panthers Prediction
| Pick | Result |
| ATS Pick: | Panthers -1.5 |
| Over/Under: | Over 5.5 |
| Final Score Prediction: | Panthers 5 – Blackhawks 1 |
| Best Bet: | Panthers ML (-284) |
The defending champs return to home ice with swagger and depth. Expect Florida to dominate possession, attack early, and overwhelm Chicago’s defense with relentless forechecking. Connor Bedard might light the lamp once, but the Panthers’ top six and Bobrovsky’s consistency should make this a comfortable opener for Sunrise fans.
🟦 Final Thought: Take Florida to win big, Over 5.5 goals, and Sam Reinhart to score.
