In this Central Division showdown, the Chicago Blackhawks head north of the border to take on the Winnipeg Jets. Welcome back to this edition of NHL Predictions! Each day, our writers here at Last Word On Hockey analyze the day’s games and provide in-depth analysis. We break down the key matchups, storylines, and stats, then make predictions based on how they might play out. Don’t forget to check out more NHL Predictions, as our writers continue this series throughout the 2025-26 season.
NHL Predictions: Chicago Blackhawks vs Colorado Avalanche
Time: 8:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Season Series: Series tied 1-1
How to Watch TV: ESPN+, CHSN, TSN3
Location: Canada Life Centre
Connor Bedard and the Chicago close out their road trip by taking on former Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews and the Winnipeg Jets.
The first two meetings between these two teams featured drastically different results. Winnipeg dominated October’s matchup 6-3, while Chicago earned a 2-0 shutout in January. The top players came to play for the Jets in their 6-3 win. Gabriel Vilardi netted two goals and collected an assist, while Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele each had a goal and an assist. Vladislav Namestnikov and Josh Morrissey collected the other two markers. Connor Hellebuyck stopped 21 shots for the win. In Chicago’s win, Spencer Knight was the star of the show, making 32 saves for the shutout. Jason Dickinson and Connor Bedard netted Chicago’s two markers, while Alex Vlasic collected two assists. Each team is hoping for a big two points.
Blackhawks Looking to Build Off Exciting Win
Things finally started to click for the Hawks in their last game in Utah. Hawks’ captain Nick Foligno challenged the team to begin helping superstar Connor Bedard, and they responded. Foligno himself, along with Landon Slaggert, netted his third of the year. Teuvo Teravainen scored the other two goals. Defenders Connor Murphy and Alex Vlasic assisted Teravainen’s second marker. However, the star of the show was Arvid Soderblom, who earned his first career NHL shutout with a 22-save performance. Spencer Knight should be back in the crease against the Jets.
This felt like an important performance for the Hawks. Outside of Bedard, the team has generated almost no offence. Key players like Frank Nazar have not performed to expectations, and the team has lost games as a result. Sam Rinzel was a late scratch due to an illness, so Artyom Levshunov got some more ice time. He has looked better since his brief pre-Olympic break. The Hawks will likely need a massive win streak to crawl into the playoffs, but a win like that could go a long way.
Jets Aiming for Late-Season Surge into Playoffs
The Jets have collected a point in four of their last five games, and are hoping to turn some of those games into wins down the stretch. They can thank Connor Hellebuyck for picking up at least a point against San Jose on Sunday, as he stopped 31 of 33 shots. Winnipeg’s only offence came from a first-period Morgan Barron marker, with Tanner Pearson and Cole Koepke picking up helpers. The Jets failed to convert on three power plays and, as mentioned, needed a great Hellebuyck performance to earn a point. He should be back between the pipes tonight, but as always, be sure to check social media before puck drop for lineups and starting goaltender information.
The Jets are going to need their top players to step up and lead them to victory tonight. Scheifele, Connor and Vilardi have led the charge all season and must maintain their play to get into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. One of the other key players for Winnipeg is Cole Perfetti. He has seven points in his last ten games and plays a critical secondary scoring role. In recent history, the Jets have dominated this series. The team is 8-1-1 in their last ten games against the Hawks. They are hoping to keep that trend going.
Game Prediction
Given the team’s dominant history and disappointing last game, expect the Jets to come out flying and take care of the Blackhawks.
Prediction: Jets win 4-2
Prop Bets
- Cole Perfetti (+275)
- Tyler Bertuzzi (+240)
Main Photo Credit: James Carey Lauder-USA TODAY Sports
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