With Connor Bedard sidelined, the Blackhawks lean on youth, speed, and structure as they open a three-game Canadian road trip against Toronto.
The Chicago Blackhawks visit the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first game of a three-game Canadian roadtrip. Preview and “how to watch” information down below.
Key Stats
BlackhawksMaple Leafs21.5% (10th)Powerplay14.3% (30th)84.4% (4th)Penalty Kill82.6% (10th)46.6% (28th)Face-Offs56.9% (1st)9.62% (13th)Shooting Percentage (5v5)11.39% (1st).908 (15th)Save Percentage (5v5).901 (23rd)44.24% (30th)Expected Goals Share (5v5)47.98% (25th)46.79% (28th)Corsi (5v5)45.38% (31st)
Game Preview
Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks are without superstar Connor Bedard, who’s registered a point on 48.4% of the Hawks’ goals this season. Bedard’s absence hurts Chicago’s offense, as evident in his first game out—a 4-0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. That doesn’t mean Chicago is totally biteless. They’re up against one of the slowest rosters in the NHL and have a plethora of youth and speed. Frank Nazar needs to step into his temporary role as No. 1 center. He’s had chances as of late, but is without a goal in 20 games. In that same stretch, Nazar has an individual expected goals of 4.4 (all situations), the third highest on the team.
The Hawks need to lean into Nick Lardis and his linemates. Lardis starts his second NHL game with Oliver Moore and Ryan Greene. Moore has been extremely fast on the forecheck and should be able to get behind the Leafs defense. But can he pass the puck to Lardis? Greene is a solid passer and created a scoring chance for Moore in the Hawks’ loss to the Blues. Lardis had eight shot attempts in his NHL debut against the Red Wings. Moore and Greene look like excellent third liners, but Lardis should get a look with Nazar sooner rather than later.
Story continues below.
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Dec 13, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Emmitt Finnie (58) celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at United Center. Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs have bounced back a little since Auston Matthews returned from injury. They are 5-3-2 in their last 10 games but still out of a playoff spot in seventh place in the Atlantic Division. The Leafs last played against the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday and lost 6-3. Their roster is riddled with injuries, particularly in net. Anthony Stolarz is on injured reserve (IR), and Joseph Woll is expected to return tonight after being sidelined with an injury. Chris Tanev is on long-term injured reserve, and defenseman Brandon Carlo is on IR with a foot injury.
Where the Leafs can do serious damage is with some prolonged offensive zone time. They rank third overall in 5-on-5 goals per 60 (2.93/60) and run a 2-3 OZ pressure that will open up the Hawks’ man-on-man defensive zone coverage. Two forwards stay low while a third forward stays high with the two defensemen. This pulls defenders and opens up space in the slot. But if the Hawks are able to force turnovers and attack on the rush, they should be able to exploit Toronto’s slow defense.
How to Watch Chicago Blackhawks at Toronto Maple Leafs
Date: Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025
Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
TV Channel: CHSN* and TSN4
Live Stream: CHSN App (in market only), ESPN+, FuboTV (Free Trial Available)
Several streaming and TV options are available for fans looking to watch the Blackhawks at Toronto Maple Leafs game live. The game will air on Chicago Sports Network (CHSN)* and TSN4 in their respective markets.
*CHSN is currently available via a direct-to-consumer streaming service and cable services Xfinity (Comcast Ultimate Tier, channel 200 and 201), DIRECTV (channel 665), DIRECTV Stream (channel 665), U-Verse (channel 1741), Astound (channels 685 and 576), and FuboTV.