Blackhawks vs. Panthers prediction, odds, time: 2025 NHL betting picks for season opener by advanced model

The Chicago Blackhawks and two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers drop the puck on the 2025-26 NHL season when they meet on Tuesday. Florida was a fifth seed in the East last season, while Chicago finished 15th in the West. The Blackhawks (25-46-11), who placed eighth in the Central, were 10-26-5 on the road last year. The Panthers (47-31-4), who were third in the Atlantic, were 27-12-2 on their home ice. Chicago defenseman Alex Vlasic (lower body) isn’t expected to play.

Opening faceoff is set for 5 p.m. ET from Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. The teams split a pair of matchups last season, with the home team winning each time. The Panthers are the -288 favorite (risk $288 to win $100) in the latest Blackhawks vs. Panthers odds, witch Chicago at +233. The over/under for total goals scored is 5.5. Before making any Panthers vs. Blackhawks picks, check out the NHL predictions from the SportsLine Projection Model.

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The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NHL game 10,000 times and was profitable on top-rated NHL betting picks last year, including an extremely strong 32-16 record (+1229) on puck-line picks. Anyone following its picks at sportsbooks and on betting sites could have seen strong returns. 

Now, the model has set its sights on Blackhawks vs. Panthers and just locked in its picks and NHL predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are several NHL odds and betting lines for Blackhawks vs. Panthers:

Why the Panthers can win

Center Sam Reinhart powers the offense. In 79 games last season, he led the Panthers in scoring with 81 points on 39 goals and 42 assists. He was dominant on the power play, soring 13 power-play goals and adding 17 power-play assists. He was among Florida’s shot leaders with 213 shots and an 18.3 shot percentage.

With center Aleksander Barkov (knee) out for at least seven months, center Carter Verhaeghe will look to pick up the slack on offense. In 81 games in 2024-25, he tallied 53 points on 20 goals and 33 assists. He was also a weapon on the power play, racking up five power-play goals, while adding 11 power-play assists. In last year’s decisive Game 6 Stanley Cup Final win over Edmonton, he registered three assists in a 5-1 victory. See which team to back at SportsLine.

Why the Blackhawks can win

Center Connor Bedard powers Chicago as the reliable 20-year-old played in 82 games a year ago, leading the Blackhawks in scoring with 67 points, including 23 goals and 44 assists. He led Chicago’s power play, scoring 11 goals and adding 18 assists. He also led the team with 195 shots.

Another threat on offense is veteran center Ryan Donato. He played in 80 games last season, registering 62 points with 31 goals and 31 assists. Among those stats were five power-play goals and nine power-play assists. He took 182 shots, second-most on the team, with a 17% shot percentage. See which team to back at SportsLine. 

How to make Blackhawks vs. Panthers picks

SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, projecting 5.6 goals, and it says one side of the money line has all the value. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s NHL picks. 

So who wins Blackhawks vs. Panthers, and which side of the money line has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its NHL picks, and find out.