The Detroit Red Wings are set to face off against the Chicago Blackhawks in a non-conference match today at the United Center, with the puck dropping at 8:00 PM ET. Currently, the Red Wings hold a record of 17 wins, 12 losses, and 3 overtime losses, placing them third in the Atlantic Division, while the Blackhawks are just one point shy of a playoff spot in the Western Conference with a record of 13 wins, 12 losses, and 6 overtime losses.
The matchup will be broadcast live on FanDuel Sports Network and 97.1 FM. Detroit heads into the game as the favorite with odds of -1.5 at +130, compared to Chicago’s +1.5 at -165, according to DraftKings.
A key player to watch for Detroit is Alex DeBrincat, who has been on a scoring spree with 12 goals and seven assists for a total of 19 points over his last 12 games. In contrast, Marco Kasper has struggled recently, tallying only one point in his last 21 outings.
The spotlight will be on Blackhawks star Patrick Kane, who requires just 11 points to break Mike Modano’s record of 1,374 points for the most in NHL history by a U.S.-born player—a record that has stood for more than 18 years.
Tonight’s game marks the conclusion of a six-game road trip for the Red Wings, who have posted a 3-1-1 record during this stretch. They have demonstrated strong offensive capabilities, going 14-3-2 when they net three or more goals, and even more impressive with a 12-0-2 record when scoring four goals or more. In fact, Detroit has registered four or more goals in five of their last six games.
While the Red Wings’ power play stands at a solid 23.0%, ranking 8th in the league, their penalty kill has room for improvement, sitting at 20th with an efficacy of 79.1%. Despite their 11th overall ranking in total points, Detroit currently struggles with a 3.32 goals-against average, which ranks 25th.
In terms of lineups, the projected forward lines for Detroit include Dylan Larkin centering for Emmitt Finnie and Lucas Raymond. DeBrincat joins Andrew Copp and Kane, while Marco Kasper teams up with Nate Danielson and Elmer Soderblom. The fourth line features Michael Rasmussen, JT Compher, and James van Riemsdyk.
On defense, Simon Edvinsson pairs with Moritz Seider, while Ben Chiarot teams up with Axel Sandin-Pellikka, and Albert Johansson plays alongside Jacob Bernard-Docker.
For Chicago, the Blackhawks will be without rookie sensation Connor Bedard, who is out with an upper-body injury sustained last Friday against the St. Louis Blues. Coach Jeff Blashill will look for a strong response from his team, which previously defeated the Red Wings 5-1 earlier in the season. The team has earned points in seven of their past ten games despite facing injury challenges.
Projected lines for Chicago include Oliver Moore with Frank Nazar and Tyler Bertuzzi, while Ryan Donato centers Ryan Greene and Andre Burakovsky. Teuvo Teravainen teams with Jason Dickinson and Ilya Mikheyev, while Colton Dach plays alongside Dominic Toninato and Sam Lafferty.
Defensively, Alex Vlaskic pairs with Louis Crevier, Matt Grzelcyk with Artyon Levshunov, and Wyatt Kaiser with Connor Murphy. In goal, Spencer Knight is expected to start, with Arvid Soderblom backing him up.
As both teams aim to capitalize on this pivotal matchup, expectations are high for an exciting game filled with competitive spirit. Fans are eager to see if the Red Wings can maintain their offensive momentum and if the Blackhawks can make a statement despite the absence of Bedard.