Bedard-Less Blackhawks Visit a Blues Squad That Can't Generate Offense — Both Sides Have Warts

Let's be direct upfront: this is a September 24th preseason game with no odds, no line movement, no public betting data, and no system signals firing. Any edge here would have to come purely from statistical context, and even that has significant limitations given that preseason stats often reflect depth lineups, experimentation, and rest decisions rather than true team quality.

That said, the numbers available do paint an interesting picture of where both franchises stand heading into 2024-25.

Chicago arrives in St. Louis as one of the league's most statistically deficient teams across the board. Their 5-on-5 possession metrics are historically bad — xGoals% of 42% ranks dead last (#32), Fenwick% of 45% is also last, and Corsi% of 46% slots 30th. They generated just 2.67 xGoals For per game (#32) while conceding 3.38 xGoals Against (#29). High-danger chances against sit at 3.7 per game (#26). These are the numbers of a team in a full rebuild, not a competitive playoff contender.

The elephant in the room is Connor Bedard. Chicago's franchise center — the player who posted 30 goals, 45 assists, and nearly 21 minutes of ice time per game last season — is out until approximately November following shoulder surgery. That is not a minor absence. Bedard was the engine of whatever offensive identity the Blackhawks were building, and without him, this is a roster that was already last in the league in most offensive categories now missing its best player. Jordan Greenway is also out, though his impact is far less significant.

St. Louis isn't without its own problems. The Blues ranked dead last in high-danger chances generated per game at 2.8 (#32) — a stunning number for a team that expects to compete. Their power play at 14.2% (#22) is below average, and their penalty kill at 81.4% ranks 27th. The one area where St. Louis earns credit is xGoals Against per game at 3.01, which ranks a respectable 10th, suggesting their defensive structure has some genuine quality even if their offense creates almost nothing at 5-on-5.

Tyler Tucker's absence on the St. Louis blue line is worth noting, though his impact in a preseason context is hard to quantify.

The honest matchup summary: St. Louis plays better defense but can't generate offense. Chicago can't do much of anything without Bedard in the lineup. Neither team has a clear structural advantage that would create a bankable edge, and in a preseason setting, roster decisions, ice time distribution, and coaching experimentation dilute the value of any statistical lean.

With no market data, no signal badges, no algorithmic signals, and no system tallies available, there is no betting angle here. This is a game to watch for player evaluation purposes, not one to bet into blind.