Overview
- Tampa Bay enters at 1-3-2 with four points in six games after posting a 29-8-4 home record last season.
- Nikita Kucherov is expected to return from illness for the matchup, while Zemgus Girgensons is a weekend possibility and Max Crozier is not expected to play.
- Coach Jon Cooper confirmed forward Dominic James will make his NHL debut, and the club recalled Charles-Édouard D’Astous, who was not expected to dress Thursday.
- Chicago has eight points in seven games after Ryan Donato’s overtime winner against Anaheim, and captain Nick Foligno has rejoined the team following his daughter’s surgery.
- Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar lead the Blackhawks with seven points each, and goaltender Spencer Knight is 2-2-1 with a 1.96 goals-against average and .937 save percentage.