The Los Angeles Kings and Chicago Blackhawks meet Tuesday, Oct. 27 at United Center in Chicago, with puck drop set for 8 p.m. ET. This Kings vs Blackhawks preview finds two teams near the bottom of their respective divisions trying to find traction in the early weeks of the 2026-27 season. Los Angeles enters at 2-5-2 while Chicago sits at 3-8-0, and both clubs have lost ground in the standings over their last five outings.
Kings Vs Blackhawks Game Information
- Date: Tuesday, Oct. 27
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Venue: United Center, Chicago, IL
- TV/Streaming: ESPN+, CHSN, ABTV
- Series: Season series opens Oct. 27
Kings Outlook
Los Angeles sits at 2-5-2 and last in the Pacific Division with six points, just ahead of Vancouver. The Kings have split their last five games, beating Washington 5-2 and New York Islanders 3-2 in overtime before falling to New Jersey 3-1 on Oct. 24. Their .891 team save percentage and 3.56 goals-against average both rank better than Chicago’s marks, giving the Kings an edge defensively even with their losing record.
Los Angeles is dealing with a heavy injury list. Mats Zuccarello (upper body) and Kevin Fiala (left lower leg surgery) remain on injured reserve with no return before Nov. 4 and Oct. 31 respectively. Alex Turcotte, Jakub Dvorak and Jan Jenik are also on IR, with Turcotte’s return date listed as Oct. 29.
Anton Forsberg is projected as the probable starting goalie. Artemi Panarin leads the Kings with 6 goals and 9 points, while Adrian Kempe paces the team with 5 assists.
Blackhawks Outlook
Chicago has lost three straight, falling to Dallas 4-0, Montreal 4-1 and Florida 3-2 after opening that stretch with wins over Pittsburgh and Winnipeg. The Blackhawks are 3-8-0 and last in the Central Division with six points. Their .880 save percentage and 3.91 goals-against average both trail the Kings, and a faceoff win rate of 42.7% points to a team that has struggled to control possession.
Chicago’s offense has generated 24 goals on a 10.2% shooting percentage, the better shooting clip of the two teams, with Patrick Kane leading the roster in assists (6) and points (7) and Roman Kantserov topping the team with 4 goals. Defenseman Bowen Byram is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and carries a listed return date of Oct. 27, making his availability for puck drop uncertain. Spencer Knight is projected as the probable starting goalie.
Key Matchup
The faceoff circle stands out as a clear separator. Los Angeles has won 50.2% of its draws this season, while Chicago sits at 42.7%, the widest gap between the two sides in any statistical category. Puck possession out of the dot could matter even more against a Kings team that has out-shot opponents 245-235 in total shots this season. If Chicago continues to lose the faceoff battle, its already thin offense will see fewer clean looks, while Los Angeles can lean on its edge in both goals against (32) and save percentage to turn extra possession into sustained pressure.
What To Watch
Both teams arrive last in their divisions, with Chicago six points behind Minnesota in the Central and Los Angeles six points behind Edmonton in the Pacific. A win does little to change the standings math this early, but it matters for momentum. Chicago has alternated wins and losses all season and has not strung together consecutive victories since its Oct. 14-16 stretch against Pittsburgh and Winnipeg.
Los Angeles, meanwhile, is trying to avoid a third straight loss after dropping its last game to New Jersey. How each team’s projected starting goalie, Forsberg for Los Angeles and Knight for Chicago, holds up behind two shaky defensive units will shape how the game plays out.
For more NHL coverage, see the Kings vs. Islanders preview, the recap of the Devils’ 3-1 win over the Kings, and the breakdown of McDavid’s early-season assist mark.
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