Our Winnipeg Jets vs Chicago Blackhawks preview covers the odds, puck line, total, start time, TV channel and where to watch on Thursday, October 15, 2026. The Winnipeg Jets (4-1-1 this season; 35-35-12 in 2025-26) visit the Chicago Blackhawks (2-5-0 this season; 29-39-14 in 2025-26) at United Center in Chicago, Ill. Puck drop is 8:00 PM ET (7:00 PM local). TV: CHSN / TSN3.
Storyline: Winnipeg enters Thursday at 4-1-1 after a 5-2 win over Minnesota (Oct. 13). Chicago enters Thursday at 2-5-0 after a 5-3 win over Pittsburgh (Oct. 13). Winnipeg won three of four meetings last season (NHL.com). DraftKings lists Winnipeg at -135 and Chicago at +114 on the moneyline, with the total at 6.5.
Winnipeg Jets vs Chicago Blackhawks Odds, Puck Line & Game Info
| Matchup | Winnipeg Jets @ Chicago Blackhawks |
|---|---|
| 2026-27 Records | Winnipeg Jets 4-1-1 | Chicago Blackhawks 2-5-0 |
| 2025-26 Records | Winnipeg Jets 35-35-12 | Chicago Blackhawks 29-39-14 |
| Head Coaches | WPG: Scott Arniel (3rd season) | CHI: Jeff Blashill (2nd season) |
| Puck Line | WPG -1.5 (+190) | CHI +1.5 (-230) |
| Moneyline | Winnipeg Jets: -135 | Chicago Blackhawks: +114 |
| Total | O/U 6.5 (o+110 / u-130) |
| Venue | United Center (Chicago, Ill.) |
| Date / Time | Thursday, October 15, 2026 — 8:00 PM ET |
| TV / How to Watch | CHSN / TSN3 |
| Probable Starting Goalies | WPG: Stuart Skinner (probable, per ESPN; not confirmed) | CHI: Spencer Knight (probable, per ESPN; not confirmed) |
Odds via DraftKings (through ESPN) as of Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, ~6:23 PM ET. Lines move, so check your sportsbook before puck drop. ESPN lists Stuart Skinner (Winnipeg) and Spencer Knight (Chicago) as probable starters, not yet confirmed at research time.
Winnipeg Jets Preview: Connor Leads a 4-1-1 Start
2025-26 recap: Winnipeg went 35-35-12 (82 points), finished seventh in the Central Division and missed the playoffs one year after winning the Presidents’ Trophy. Mark Scheifele had 36 goals and 103 points, Connor had 39 goals and 92 points, and Gabriel Vilardi set career highs with 30 goals and 69 points (NHL.com).
Offseason moves: Winnipeg signed goalie Stuart Skinner (two years) and defenseman Mario Ferraro (three years, $12 million), and Cole Perfetti signed a five-year contract. Jonathan Toews retired. The Jets claimed goalie Clay Stevenson off waivers from Washington, and 18-year-old Viggo Bjorck, the No. 8 selection in the 2026 draft, made the team (NHL.com, The Hockey News).
Key players & coach: Scheifele, Connor, Vilardi, Perfetti, Adam Lowry, Alex Iafallo and Nino Niederreiter lead the forwards. Dylan DeMelo, Neal Pionk, Dylan Samberg and Ferraro are on defense. Connor Hellebuyck, a three-time Vezina Trophy winner who requested a trade, remains suspended after he did not report to training camp (WinnipegJets.com, ESPN). Scott Arniel is in his third season as coach.
Goalies: Stuart Skinner has started four games and is 3-0-1 with a .917 save percentage (111 saves on 121 shots). Most recently, he made 19 saves on 21 shots in a 5-2 win over Minnesota (Oct. 13). Clay Stevenson has started two games and is 1-1-0 with an .872 save percentage (41 saves on 47 shots). Most recently, he made 12 saves on 16 shots in a 5-1 loss to Anaheim (Oct. 9). ESPN lists Stuart Skinner as the probable starter for Thursday (not confirmed at research time).
Season so far: Winnipeg is 4-1-1 through six games, with 18 goals scored and 17 allowed. Results: a 4-3 overtime loss to Boston (Oct. 2), a 3-2 win at Detroit (Oct. 4), a 3-2 win at Pittsburgh (Oct. 5), a 3-2 win over Colorado (Oct. 7), a 5-1 loss to Anaheim (Oct. 9) and a 5-2 win over Minnesota (Oct. 13). Kyle Connor has 10 points (seven goals, three assists), and Cole Perfetti has eight points (five goals, three assists) (NHL.com).
Injuries: Josh Morrissey (wrist) is day to day; Garrett Brown (lower body), Walker Duehr (lower body) and Elias Salomonsson (shoulder surgery) are on the injured non-roster list (ESPN).
Chicago Blackhawks Preview: Frondell Leads a 2-5-0 Start
2025-26 recap: Chicago went 29-39-14 (72 points) and finished last in the Central Division. Connor Bedard led the team with 75 points (30 goals, 45 assists) in 69 games, Tyler Bertuzzi scored a team-high 32 goals and had 58 points, and Frank Nazar had 41 points (NHL.com).
Offseason moves: Patrick Kane, the No. 1 selection by Chicago in the 2007 draft, is back with the Blackhawks after 57 points for Detroit last season. Chicago also added defenseman Bowen Byram (42 points for Buffalo), defenseman Ian Cole from Utah, forwards Jordan Greenway and Cole Smith, and forward Roman Kantserov, who scored 36 goals in the KHL. Ilya Mikheyev now plays for Tampa Bay, Andre Burakovsky for Ottawa and Louis Crevier for Buffalo (NHL.com).
Key players & coach: Bertuzzi, Kane, Nazar, Anton Frondell (the No. 3 selection in 2025), Ryan Donato, Oliver Moore, Greenway, Nick Lardis and Kantserov lead the forwards. Alex Vlasic, Byram, Cole, Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel and Wyatt Kaiser are on defense. Jeff Blashill is in his second season as coach.
Goalies: Spencer Knight has started five games and is 2-3-0 with an .885 save percentage (139 saves on 157 shots). Most recently, he made 24 saves on 27 shots in a 5-3 win over Pittsburgh (Oct. 13). Arvid Soderblom has started two games and is 0-2-0 with an .820 save percentage (41 saves on 50 shots). Most recently, he made 15 saves on 18 shots in a 4-1 loss at the Islanders (Oct. 8). ESPN lists Spencer Knight as the probable starter for Thursday (not confirmed at research time).
Season so far: Chicago is 2-5-0 through seven games, with 17 goals scored and 29 allowed. Results: a 5-2 loss at Vegas (Sept. 29), a 6-0 loss at Utah (Oct. 1), a 4-3 loss at Buffalo (Oct. 3), a 4-2 win over St. Louis (Oct. 6), a 4-1 loss at the Islanders (Oct. 8), a 5-2 loss to Carolina (Oct. 10) and a 5-3 win over Pittsburgh (Oct. 13). Anton Frondell has six points (one goal, five assists), and Teuvo Teravainen has five points (two goals, three assists) (NHL.com).
Injuries: Andrew Mangiapane (lower body) is on injured reserve (ESPN).
Key Matchup Notes: Jets vs Blackhawks
- Schedule spot: Winnipeg last played on Oct. 13 and hosts Carolina on Oct. 17. Chicago last played on Oct. 13 and hosts Dallas on Oct. 17.
- Last season: Winnipeg won three of four meetings last season. Winnipeg won 6-3 at home on Oct. 30, 2025, 3-2 in overtime at home on March 3, 2026 and 4-3 in overtime in Chicago on March 31. Chicago won 2-0 at home on Jan. 19 (NHL.com).
- Special teams: Winnipeg is converting 31.2 percent of its power plays and has killed 92.3 percent of penalties. Chicago is converting 12.5 percent of its power plays and has killed 75 percent of penalties (NHL.com).
- Scoring: Winnipeg has scored 18 goals and allowed 17 in 6 games. Chicago has scored 17 goals and allowed 29 in 7 games.
- Odds snapshot: Winnipeg -135 / Chicago +114 on the moneyline, Jets -1.5 (+190) on the puck line, total 6.5 (DraftKings).
How to Watch Winnipeg Jets vs Chicago Blackhawks
Date: Thursday, October 15, 2026
Puck drop: 8:00 PM ET (7:00 PM local)
Venue: United Center, Chicago, Ill.
TV: In the U.S., Chicago Sports Network (CHSN) carries it in the Blackhawks’ market (NHL.com). In Canada, TSN3 carries it (NHL.com). ESPN also lists ESPN+ streaming. No U.S. national TV broadcast is listed at research time.
Check the puck line, moneyline and total above against your sportsbook before the October 15, 2026 puck drop, and look for confirmed starting goalies closer to game time.