Blackhawks vs Golden Knights Prediction, Props & Odds – NHL Opening Night (Sept. 29)

• The Chicago Blackhawks square off against the Vegas Golden Knights in each team’s first game of the 2026-27 NHL season
• See the injury report and NHL public betting splits with Chicago superstar Connor Bedard unable to suit up
• Keep reading for Blackhawks vs Golden Knights preview and my favorite NHL player prop

Blackhawks vs Golden Knights is part of the NHL’s opening-night slate on Tuesday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 PM PT / 10:30 PM ET at T-Mobile Arena. The Knights made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final in 2025-26, while their adversaries missed the postseason by 18 points.

I break down my Blackhawks vs Golden Knights prediction below, along with the moneyline, total and the key details to consider before betting with Vegas the favorites in the NHL odds.

Blackhawks vs Golden Knights Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Vegas moneyline (-260 at Caesars)

Laying -260 on the moneyline requires paying a steep vig, but situational trends heavily favor Vegas defending home ice against a rebuilding roster. The Golden Knights are 10-4 at home as a favorite over their last 14 games, and are coming off a Stanley Cup Final appearance.

They have also dominated this head-to-head series, going 4-1 against Chicago over their last five duels. Conversely, the Blackhawks are a poor 1-5 on the road as an underdog over their last six games. They are also just 2-9 as an underdog overall in their last eleven contests. I prefer the outright-win bet here rather than requiring a two-goal margin. In the Stanley Cup odds, Vegas is among the favorites at +900, while the Hawks are +25000 super longshot.

Blackhawks vs Golden Knights Odds

Odds as of September 28 on Caesars Sportsbook. Compare the available prices across NHL betting apps before placing a wager.

Blackhawks vs Golden Knights Player Props

Prop pick: William Karlsson over 1.5 shots on goal (-145 at DraftKings)

Dating back to last postseason, William Karlsson has amassed the 2+ shots threshold in six of his previous eight games. You don’t need him to tickle the twine to win this wager, but just need him to hit the net on at least two occasions.

In ten of his last 16 battles against Chicago, Karlsson has registered at least two shots on net, making this wager an intriguing one.

Blackhawks vs Golden Knights Betting Splits

In the NHL public betting splits, the moneyline snapshot shows 94% of wagers and 89% of the cash flowing towards the home favorites. As for the puckline, 63% of bets are on the underdog Blackhawks, though 73% of the money has been placed on the Knights. In terms of the goal total, 84% of moola has been plunked down on over 5.5 combined goals being scored.

How to Watch Blackhawks vs Golden Knights

• Date: Tuesday, September 29
• Puck drop: 7:30 PM PT / 10:30 PM ET
• Arena: T-Mobile Arena
• TV: ESPN

The starting goaltenders are expected to be Spencer Knight (CHI) and Carter Hart (VGK). The former had a 2.82 GAA and .902 save % last season, while the latter put up a 2.71 GAA and .891 save percentage.