Welcome to our latest installment of NHL Predictions! Today, we bring you a special edition, as it our Winter Classic installment. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, the Winter Classic is upon us one again. It is remarkable that the event in 2008 in Buffalo would become the phenomenon is it today. We are so thankful to have this annual tradition. This year’s Winter Classic takes us to Wrigley Field, where the Chicago Blackhawks are playing the St. Louis Blues.
NHL Predictions
St. Louis Blues vs. Chicago Blackhawks
Time: 5:00 Eastern Time
TV: TNT
The Blues and Blackhawks are meeting for the first time this season. Last year, the Blues won the season series, 3-1. The rivals have had quite a history. They have met in the playoffs numerous times. The latest saw the Blues defeat the then-reigning Stanley Cup Champion Blackhawks in seven games in 2016. Furthermore, former Hawk Troy Brouwer scored the series-winning goal in Game 7.
Since that game, the two rivals have gone in different directions. The Blues claimed their first Stanley Cup in 2019, while the Blackhawks have only made the playoffs twice since 2016. Currently, both teams are in the middle of respective retools and rebuilds. The Blues are building towards the future with core forwards such as Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou. Meanwhile, the Blackhawks are building around the first-overall pick from the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Connor Bedard. Despite the rivalry not having as much intensity the last few years, the Winter Classic serves as a renewal of the historic rivalry.
Outdoor History
For the first time in Winter Classic history, we have a rematch from a previous Winter Classic. In 2017, the two organizations met in St. Louis at Busch Stadium. The Blues won 4-1 behind two third period goals from Vladimir Tarasenko.
The Blues are playing in their third outdoor game. All have been in the Winter Classic. After their win at Busch Stadium in 2017, the Blues traveled to Minnesota where they played at Target Field in extremely cold conditions. Once again, the Blues were victorious outdoors.
The Blackhawks organization has played in quite a few outdoor games. In fact, they will be playing in a league-high seventh outdoor game on Tuesday. They have played in the Winter Classic four times, including one at Wrigley Field in 2009. They have played in the Stadium Series twice. However, the team has struggled to find success outdoors. They are 1-5 when playing outdoors, including no wins in the Winter Classic.
Wrigley Field, home of Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs, is the second venue to host multiple Winter Classic games. They join Fenway Park on the list of two-time hosts.
Blues Seeking to Remain Perfect Outside
In addition to remaining perfect outside, the Blues will look to rack up more points in the standings. The Blue Note lost a tough one on Sunday, 4-2. Goaltender Jordan Binnington continues to struggle between the pipes. Despite picking up a shutout in the team’s last game before the Christmas break, Binnington was unable to continue that momentum. However, we will still expect Binnington to get the start for the Winter Classic. To start in an outdoor game is a honour. Binnington, despite his struggles, clearly deserves the honour.
The Blues will look to pick up two points against a Hawks team at the bottom of the Western Conference standings. As we learned on Sunday, anyone can beat anyone any given day. The Blues will not and should not overlook the Blackhawks.
Blackhawks Seeking First Winter Classic Win
Blackhawk fans fondly remember the memories of the first Winter Classic to be played at Wrigley Field. Unfortunately, the Hawks were on the losing end of a 6-4 game. 16 years later, Hawk fans return to Wrigley excited for more memories, and perhaps the organization’s first win in the Winter Classic.
Connor Bedard will take the ice for his first outdoor game. The second-year forward leads the Blackhawks with 32 points. The spotlight of the Winter Classic will be another opportunity for the youngster to shine. Just as youngsters Johnathan Toews and Patrick Kane took the ice 16 years ago at Wrigley, Bedard will go it again.
Predictions
Theoretically speaking, the Blackhawks are due for a win in the Winter Classic. In addition, the Blues are due for a loss in the Winter Classic. Do we see the trend end or does a new one start? This is difficult to choose. What we are going to do is go with the team who has had more success on the ice than the other.
Blues win, 5-2.
Prop Bets
The over/under is set at 5.5 goals. We are taking the over at seven goals.
For prop bets, we are taking the former Blue and current Blackhawk Pat Maroon as an anytime goal-scorer. He has only scored one goal this season, so we are certainly making a bold pick here. For the Blues, Jordan Kyrou scored two goals when the Blues last played outdoors in 2022. We are going to pick him to light the lamp for the Blues.
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Main Photo: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images
The post NHL Predictions: The 2025 Winter Classic (St. Louis Blues Vs. Chicago Blackhawks) appeared first on Last Word On Hockey.