Our NHL betting picks see value in backing Frank Nazar and the Blackhawks to keep things close in a tight game vs. a wounded Panthers squad.
NHL
The 2025-26 NHL season gets underway Tuesday with the Florida Panthers hosting the Chicago Blackhawks at Amerant Bank Arena.
Florida looks to begin its quest for a three-peat, but my Blackhawks vs. Panthers predictions expect a sluggish start to the campaign.
Read on for my NHL picks for Tuesday, October 7.
Blackhawks vs Panthers Best bet: Under 5.5 (+100)
The Florida Panthers look to avoid a hangover following last year’s successful defense of the Stanley Cup. But the Panthers could come out slow on Tuesday, as they’re dealing with significant injuries.
Florida’s two best players, Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk, are on IR to begin the season. Barkov is expected to miss the entire year after blowing out his knee during training camp, while Tkachuk is expected to remain sidelined for a few months as he recovers from surgery to repair an adductor injury.
Tkachuk and Barkov ranked first and second, respectively, in on-ice expected goals percentage for Florida in 2025. Their absence will be keenly felt on offense, which doesn’t bode well for a group exiting another grueling Cup run.
Meanwhile, goaltender Spencer Knight draws the start in the crease for the Chicago Blackhawks. The talented young netminder is seeking a full-time role after backing up Sergei Bobrovsky in Florida.
Dating back to last season, Knight boasts a .908 SV% and 2.64 GAA over his past 24 starts. With the added motivation of facing his former club, Knight should be able to hold his own against a wounded Panthers lineup.
Bobrovsky is nearly always trustworthy in the Cats’ crease. That said, the Hawks are still likely to find the back of the net at least once or twice, and a strong candidate to do so is Frank Nazar.
Nazar has quickly established himself as a cornerstone prospect alongside Connor Bedard and lit it up in preseason with four goals over his final three games.
Chicago has allowed three or fewer goals in four of its past six games. Find more NHL betting trends for Blackhawks vs. Panthers.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Tony Sartori has written over 1,000 pieces of sports betting content across multiple different media outlets. He covers the NHL, UFC, PGA, NFL and MLB. Tony started part-time while attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he went on to receive a B.A. in Economics and a certificate in Entrepreneurship in 2022. He continues to work full-time in the sports betting landscape.
Due to the variety of sports he covers, Tony is handicapping every day. If he had one piece of betting advice for a new sports bettor, it would be to strictly enforce bankroll management rules for yourself. If you set aside $10,000 for your betting bankroll, then you should generally only be betting between $100 – $500 per play.
If you choose to make use of any information on this website including online sports betting services from any websites that may be featured on this website, we strongly recommend that you carefully check your local laws before doing so.It is your sole responsibility to understand your local laws and observe them strictly.Covers does not provide any advice or guidance as to the legality of online sports betting or other online gambling activities within your jurisdiction and you are responsible for complying with laws that are applicable to you in your relevant locality.Covers disclaims all liability associated with your use of this website and use of any information contained on it.As a condition of using this website, you agree to hold the owner of this website harmless from any claims arising from your use of any services on any third party website that may be featured by Covers.