Blackhawks vs. Mammoth: 3 major questions with Bedard hurt

Dustin Judge
Blackhawks center Connor Bedard controls the puck in December 2025; Bedard misses Blackhawks vs. Mammoth with a shoulder injury

The Blackhawks vs. Mammoth matchup Thursday night at Delta Center gives Chicago its first chance to bounce back from a season-opening loss, and it will do so without captain Connor Bedard, who is sidelined until November after shoulder surgery. Patrick Kane, back with the Blackhawks for the first time since Feb. 22, 2023, scored in Tuesday’s 5-2 loss at Vegas. Utah (0-0-0) opens its season against a Chicago team (0-1-0) trying to find offense without its best player.

Chicago Blackhawks at Utah Mammoth game information

  • Date: Thursday, Oct. 1
  • Time: 9:30 p.m. ET
  • Venue: Delta Center, Salt Lake City
  • TV/Streaming: ESPN+
  • Series: First meeting of the 2026-27 season

How much does Connor Bedard’s absence hurt Chicago?

Bedard, the Blackhawks’ 21-year-old captain, had 30 goals and 45 assists last season and remains out until November following shoulder surgery, according to The Ticket. Forward Andrew Mangiapane is also out with a lower-body injury.

Kane returned to Chicago this offseason after spending 2025-26 with Detroit, where he had 57 points in 67 games, according to NHL.com. Kane (one goal) and Jordan Greenway (one goal) scored for Chicago in Vegas. With Bedard sidelined, the Blackhawks need secondary scorers to carry the load. Bowen Byram, acquired from Buffalo in June and signed to a six-year extension, per NHL.com, scored a hat trick in a preseason overtime win over Minnesota and has impressed early.

For more on Kane’s place in history, read about how Kane became the 50th NHL player to reach a major milestone.

Who starts in goal for the Blackhawks vs. Mammoth?

Spencer Knight stopped 32 of 36 shots in Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to Vegas, with the fifth goal an empty-netter, per CBS Sports. Knight posted a 2.82 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage over 55 games last season in his first full campaign with the Blackhawks.

On the other side of Blackhawks vs. Mammoth, Karel Vejmelka is expected to start for Utah in the Mammoth’s season opener, according to The Ticket. Utah closed its preseason by shutting out Colorado on Sept. 26.

Is Utah’s blue line shorthanded to start the year?

Defenseman Maveric Lamoureux, a 2022 first-round pick, had shoulder surgery and faces a four- to six-month recovery, according to The Ticket. His absence thins a Mammoth blue line that must adjust pairings early, starting with the Blackhawks vs. Mammoth opener.

Utah added experience up front this offseason, signing forward Anders Lee to a three-year deal and acquiring center Vincent Trocheck from the New York Rangers. “Adding Lee, Trocheck, guys that are experienced guys, I think that’s really going to help us,” forward Logan Cooley said, per The Ticket. Clayton Keller led Utah with 88 points last season, and Dylan Guenther scored 40 goals.

Can Chicago’s young players fill the gap?

Chicago’s rookie skaters led the NHL last season with 82 assists and 122 points, according to NHL.com. Roman Kantserov, a 22-year-old Russian rookie winger, is expected to play alongside Bedard when the captain returns. Chicago’s penalty kill, second in the league last season at 83.6%, gives it an edge against a Utah team that scored 3.27 goals per game a year ago.

What to watch in Blackhawks vs. Mammoth

Utah is coming off a breakthrough season in which it finished fourth in the Central Division and took Vegas to six games in the first round of the playoffs, per The Ticket. For Chicago, the matchup is an early test of depth scoring while Bedard and Mangiapane recover. For Utah, it is a season-opening measuring stick behind Vejmelka with Lamoureux already out long-term on the back end.

Reporting from The Ticket, CBS Sports, NHL.com, Yahoo Sports and the Chicago Tribune contributed to this story.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.