The Chicago Blackhawks open a new chapter this season under Jeff Blashill, marking their first campaign with him behind the bench since parting ways with Luke Richardson. Blashill, who last coached in the NHL in 2021-22, spent seven years guiding the Detroit Red Wings and finished with a 44.7 percent win rate.

Chicago remains a youthful squad eager to show signs of real progress. All eyes, of course, are on Connor Bedard. The young phenom dazzled in his rookie year but hit a few bumps during his sophomore campaign. This season, he’ll be determined to rediscover top form and cement himself as the face of the franchise.

Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers come in chasing history. Fresh off back-to-back Stanley Cup titles, Paul Maurice’s team has its sights set on a rare three-peat — something the league hasn’t seen since the Islanders’ dynasty run in the 1980s. Florida managed to keep its championship core intact, re-signing key pieces like Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Brad Marchand, ensuring the defending champs remain as dangerous as ever.

Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch Panthers vs Blackhawks NHL game, plus plenty more.

Panthers vs Blackhawks: Date and puck-drop time

Florida Panthers will take on Chicago Blackhawks in a highly anticipated NHL game on Tuesday, October 7, at 5 pm ET, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida.

DateTuesday, October 7, 2025Puck-Drop Time5 pm ET or 2 pm PTVenueAmerant Bank ArenaLocationSunrise, FloridaHow to watch Panthers vs Blackhawks on TV & stream live online

TV channel: ESPN

Streaming service: Fubo

Streaming the game with a VPN

Unable to watch this game due to broadcast restrictions? A VPN could be the answer to your problems.

You can watch the game from wherever you are in the world by using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) service such as Express VPN. A VPN will allow you to create a secure connection online when you are abroad on holiday or for work, and you want to stream the game live. You can eventry ExpressVPN risk-freewith a 30-day money-back guarantee.

If you are not sure which VPN to use or how to use a VPN, we have taken a look at the best options available out there for watching live sports – check out the best VPN services review here.

Panthers vs Blackhawks team newsFlorida Panthers team news

The Panthers are the league’s modern-day juggernaut. They’ve done a masterful job keeping the championship machine humming, locking up Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, and Brad Marchand to maintain the core that’s delivered back-to-back titles. Sergei Bobrovsky is still manning the crease, and when the stage lights hit their brightest, few goalies raise their level like he does. Between their veteran savvy, elite coaching, and sheer depth, Florida looks poised to run it back yet again.

Still, it’s not all sunshine in Sunrise. Key injuries to Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk cast a shadow, sidelining two of the franchise’s biggest difference-makers for the foreseeable future. And you have to wonder — can they keep pushing this hard? After three straight seasons of grinding deep into June, fatigue might start to creep in. For now, though, the Panthers remain the measuring stick — the team everyone else still has to catch.

Chicago Blackhawks team news

The Blackhawks find themselves in that tricky in-between phase — young, talented, and eager to turn potential into something tangible. Connor Bedard is still the centerpiece, the golden ticket who dazzled as a rookie but hit a few bumps in his sophomore campaign. He’ll be hungry to remind everyone why he was NHL’s next big thing not too long ago. 

Frank Nazar has flashed the kind of promise that could make him Bedard’s long-term partner in crime, showing plenty of pop across 56 games. Sam Rinzel, in his brief nine-game cameo, looked like a kid ready to grab a bigger slice of the pie, while Artyom Levshunov chipped in six points over 18 contests — a glimpse of what might be coming next. And between the pipes, the tandem of Drew Commesso and Arvid Soderblom could quietly become one of the league’s underrated goalie duos.

Chicago has the ingredients; now it’s about stirring them the right way. This season needs to be less about “development” and more about building a culture that wins. The reality, though, is that with youth comes inconsistency — the Hawks are bound to hit some bumps on the road. The playoff drought likely continues, but don’t be surprised if they notch another step forward in the standings and inch closer to relevance.

Panthers vs Blackhawks Head-to-Head RecordDateResults02/01/25Panthers 5-1 Blackhawks11/22/24Blackhawks 3-1 Panthers11/12/23Panthers 4-3 Blackhawks11/05/23Blackhawks 5-2 Panthers03/11/23Panthers 4-3 Blackhawks