Carolina Hurricanes at Chicago Blackhawks | Saturday, October 10, 2026 | 6:00 PM CT / 7:00 PM ET | United Center, Chicago | CHSN, ESPN+, WGN-720 AM
I’ll be honest: this is not the Saturday night I wanted. The Blackhawks are 1-4 to open the season, one of their best forwards is suspended, and the opponent just happens to be the reigning Stanley Cup champion. Carolina has won three straight and put seven past Vancouver on Thursday.
But I’ve been a fan long enough to know that bad matchups make for some of the best nights at the United Center. The Hawks also get to open a seven-game stretch at home, and they were the better team for long stretches on Thursday. Here’s the honest breakdown.
Game Info: Hurricanes at Blackhawks
- Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
- Puck drop: 6:00 PM CT / 7:00 PM ET
- Venue: United Center, Chicago
- Broadcast: CHSN in Chicago, ESPN+ out of market, WGN-720 AM on radio
- Records: Blackhawks 1-4-0; Hurricanes 3-1-1 (three straight wins)
- Odds: Carolina is a heavy favorite, roughly -225 to -255 on the moneyline with Chicago around +205; the total is 5.5 to 6 depending on the book
The Nazar Problem
Frank Nazar was suspended two games after an illegal check to the head of Islanders captain Bo Horvat, who was shooting at the empty net with the game already decided. He received a match penalty on the play, and the NHL’s Department of Player Safety handed down the ban on Friday. By the Sun-Times’ count, he misses tonight and Tuesday’s game against Pittsburgh. He also forfeits over $68,000 in salary.
The sting is the timing. Nazar had three points in five games and scored in each of the last two, including the late goal Thursday that broke Ilya Sorokin’s shutout bid. The Hawks are already thin up front: Teuvo Teravainen is out with a lower-body injury and is expected to resume skating in the next few days, Andrew Mangiapane is week-to-week, and Connor Bedard is still recovering from shoulder surgery. That leaves Chicago short of 12 healthy NHL forwards, so another AHL call-up is likely, or the team could dress seven defensemen. Check the lineup after warmups.
What Went Wrong Against the Islanders
Thursday’s 4-1 loss was frustrating because the numbers were fine. Chicago led 23-19 in shots and out-attempted New York 54-37, but went 0-for-3 on the power play with only two shots on those three chances. Patrick Kane called the unit “sloppy.” Bo Horvat scored on New York’s second power play, and Emil Heineman and Anthony Duclair added second-period goals before Nazar’s late tally.
Jeff Blashill’s read: “I thought we were the better team, and we beat ourselves.” I’d say that’s about half right. The process looked better than the results, but the special teams are a real problem. Chicago’s power play is converting at roughly 8% and its penalty kill at roughly 67%, both near the bottom of the league, per one stats page.
On the plus side, Arvid Soderblom made his 3,000th career save, all as a Blackhawk. Artyom Levshunov has been the defenseman most consistently getting the puck out of the zone. Bowen Byram led Chicago with 26:35 in ice time.
Why Carolina Is Dangerous
The Hurricanes won the 2026 Stanley Cup, finished 53-22-7 last year, and returned most of their roster. Rod Brind’Amour is in his ninth season behind the bench. Here’s what they’ve done so far this season:
- Tuesday, October 6: Beat Montreal 6-4. Taylor Hall scored twice and Sebastian Aho had three points.
- Thursday, October 8: Beat Vancouver 7-2. Logan Stankoven had his first NHL hat trick, Andrei Svechnikov scored twice on the power play and Sean Walker had four assists. Pyotr Kochetkov made 18 saves.
Carolina’s penalty kill ranks seventh at 91.3% per one stats page, and its goaltending is a platoon. Frederik Andersen left for Edmonton in free agency, so Brandon Bussi and Kochetkov split the job. Bussi beat Montreal, Kochetkov played Thursday, and I couldn’t confirm who starts tonight. On Chicago’s side, Spencer Knight is 4-2-0 with two shutouts in his six career starts against Carolina, and Soderblom played Thursday, so Knight is a reasonable bet, but again, check the morning skate.
Seth Jarvis is out for the Hurricanes after June shoulder surgery, a 4-to-6-month recovery. Losing him costs Carolina energy and depth, but it hasn’t slowed the offense so far.
The Matchups I’m Watching
Chicago’s special teams vs. Carolina’s penalty kill. If the Hawks take penalties, they are in trouble. If they don’t convert on their own chances, they won’t have enough offense to keep pace.
Kane vs. his history. Kane has a point in three straight games against Carolina and has 15 points in 14 career games against them at the United Center. Donato has eight points in 12 career games against the Hurricanes. This is the kind of familiarity that matters when depth is thin.
Forward depth. Chicago’s lines are being rebuilt every game. Oliver Moore moved to the top line on Thursday and Dominic Toninato centered the fourth line. Carolina, by contrast, returned most of its championship roster and is only missing Jarvis up front, as far as I could find.
The history. The teams split last season’s series, and the Hawks won the most recent meeting 4-3 in a shootout in Carolina in January, with Moore scoring the winner. That was a different version of this team, but it shows the Hawks can compete.
What Actually Decides Tonight
Chicago needs three things: discipline, a strong start from Knight and a power play that actually threatens. If the Hawks stay out of the box, play fast and get the crowd involved early, they can make this a one-goal game into the third period. If they fall behind by two, a team missing Nazar and Teravainen probably doesn’t have the firepower to come back against a champion.
I want to pick the Hawks, because the last two games have shown real structure improvements, and they play well at home. But the roster is thin, the opponent is the defending champion and the odds are steep for a reason. I think Chicago keeps it close and has a late push, but the champs find a way.
Final Score Prediction: Carolina Hurricanes 4, Chicago Blackhawks 2
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