Blackhawks vs Mammoth Prediction, Odds & Best Bets for Oct. 1

• Chicago opened with a 5-2 loss in Vegas and visits Utah without Connor Bedard (shoulder)
• The Mammoth play their first game of the season as heavy home favorites at Delta Center
• My Blackhawks vs Mammoth prediction and best bets are below for Thursday’s Central Division matchup

The Chicago Blackhawks (0-1-0) head to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Mammoth (0-0-0) in a Central Division matchup Thursday night. Chicago dropped its opener 5-2 in Vegas and now plays without Connor Bedard, who is out with a shoulder injury. Andrew Mangiapane is also sidelined with a lower-body issue.

Utah opens its season at home with a deep forward group headlined by Clayton Keller, Vincent Trocheck and Logan Cooley. The Mammoth are well-rested and heavily favored per the latest NHL odds.

Puck drop is at 9:30 pm ET on ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+. Here are my Blackhawks vs Mammoth prediction and best bets.

Blackhawks vs Mammoth Prediction

• Blackhawks ML (BetMGM +179)

My Blackhawks vs Mammoth prediction is on Chicago as a road underdog. The Mammoth were just 5-9 as home favorites over their final 14 games in that role last season, and Chicago swept all four regular-season meetings between these teams in 2025-26.

The counterpoint is obvious: Bedard’s absence guts Chicago’s top line and power play. The Blackhawks will lean on Patrick Kane and Tyler Bertuzzi up front, with rookies Anton Frondell and Roman Kantserov thrust into bigger roles. Their opportunity also makes the Calder Trophy Odds worth watching as Chicago’s season unfolds. That’s a significant downgrade. But at +179, you’re getting nearly 2-to-1 on a team with a perfect record in this head-to-head matchup last season, and Utah is opening cold after not playing a game yet.

• Over 6.5 Goals (BetMGM +110)

The over is my secondary play. Chicago allowed five goals in Vegas and managed just 43.6% of the shot attempts in the opener. Utah averaged 3.27 goals per game last season and should generate plenty of offense at home.

Plus-money on the over in a game between a team that just gave up five and a team opening at home with fresh legs feels like a good spot.

Blackhawks vs Mammoth Odds

Odds from BetMGM as of October 1.

The Blackhawks vs Mammoth odds have Utah as a comfortable home favorite at -222, which carries a raw implied probability of 68.9% (roughly 65.8% vig-free). Chicago is +179, and the moneyline has drifted from the opening number of +160 as money continues to come in on Utah. The total opened at 6.0 and has risen to 6.5. New customers can use the BetMGM promo code to bet on tonight’s game.

The public handle is heavily one-sided: 85.44% of the moneyline money is on Utah, and 80.30% of the total handle is on the over. That over number aligns with our play, but the moneyline split is what makes the Chicago upset price interesting.

Blackhawks vs Mammoth 2025-26 Season Comparison

Last season’s numbers favor Utah across the board offensively, but Chicago’s penalty kill (83.6%) was significantly better than Utah’s (78.1%). The Mammoth scored more often (3.27 vs 2.56 GPG) and ran a stronger power play (20.0% vs 16.9%). Those gaps help explain why Utah is the heavy favorite, Chicago nevertheless won all four meetings last season, a useful counterpoint to Utah’s stronger overall numbers.

Blackhawks vs Mammoth Goalies and Injuries

Spencer Knight is the projected starter for Chicago after Chicago’s 5-2 opening loss. Karel Vejmelka is projected to start for Utah in the Mammoth’s first game of the year.

Chicago injuries: Connor Bedard (shoulder, out), Andrew Mangiapane (lower body, out at least two games)

Utah injuries: Maveric Lamoureux (shoulder surgery, out 4-6 months)

Blackhawks vs Mammoth How to Watch

Puck drop is at 9:30 pm ET from Delta Center in Salt Lake City. The game streams on ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+. Check the latest lines at NHL betting apps before puck drop.