Toronto Maple Leafs - Chicago Blackhawks predictions and free betting tips [16/10/2023]

Greetings, dear friends. I'm sure you've all been eagerly awaiting hockey. Tonight, we're once more in for some spectacular NHL action, so bedtime will have to wait. A match featuring Chicago and Toronto will take place on 17 October. The game will kick off on the Scotiabank Arena.

Toronto

Last season, Toronto showcased impressive gameplay, securing an overall record of 50-21-11. The team amassed a splendid 111 points, launching them to the fourth place in the Eastern Conference. They successfully made it to the playoffs, but unfortunately lost a series 1:4 to Florida in the second round.

Alongside Carolina, Toronto is deemed this season’s favourites. The team faced some difficulties in their season-opener against underdog Montreal. Despite that, Toronto managed to secure a victory in a penalty shoot-out series 6:5. The forward Auston Matthews was highlighted in the match against the Canadiens, scoring a hat trick. Matthews netted another 3 goals in the next match against Minnesota. Toronto secured a 7:4 win, leaving no chances for Kaprizov’s squad.

Chicago

In the previous season, the Blackhawks put up a score of 26-7-49, amassing a mere 59 points in their overall record. This put them at a disappointing 15th place in the West.

There's a great deal of attention on Chicago right now. Their triumph in the draft lottery and selection of Conor Bedard in the June rookie draft has been the catalyst. Essentially, their dismal performance last year was offset by acquiring one of the most impressive rookie talents the NHL has seen in recent times.

In their first match of the season, Chicago staged a comeback victory against Pittsburgh. Despite trailing by two goals, the Blackhawks managed to claw back a 4:2 win. Unfortunately, in their following match, they succumbed to a 1:3 loss against Boston, even though Conor Bedard bagged his debut NHL goal. In their latest match against Montreal, they once again suffered a 2:3 defeat. The Canadiens had a three-goal lead by the second period, and Chicago could not recover in time, managing to score twice in the last period.

Head-to-Head

The teams faced off twice last season. The first victory went to Toronto with a score of 5:2. The Blackhawks returned the favour winning the rematch 5:3.

Prediction

In truth, despite the significant attention given to Chicago, not much is expected from them this season. On the other hand, Toronto, being one of the conference favourites, demonstrated their potential in the last game against Minnesota. Moreover, Auston Matthews is in ferocious form, achieving two hat tricks in two games. With all this in mind, I recommend a bet on a home win with a handicap (-1).