Chicago Blackhawks at Ottawa Senators

OTT controlled play at 5v5 last season, 55.4% of the expected goals to 43.7%; OTT's power play ran at 22.5% against a CHI kill at 83.6%.

In goal, neither team has named a starter. Last season Spencer Knight (CHI) saved -12.5 goals above expected to Linus Ullmark's -23.2, on save percentages of 0.902 and 0.891.

None of that is the model read. This is a rating-and-home-ice forecast; the full prediction — confirmed goalies, rest and form, priced against the market — publishes inside the seven days before puck drop and replaces these numbers. Ottawa Senators over Chicago Blackhawks is where it starts, not where it ends.

No starter is named this far out. These are each side’s projected starters on the current roster, with last season’s numbers.

CHI

Spencer Knight

SV%

0.902

GSAx

-12.5

GAA

2.82

Record

19-25-11

55 games, 2025-26

OTT

Linus Ullmark

SV%

0.891

GSAx

-23.2

GAA

2.73

Record

28-12-8

49 games, 2025-26