Per the official release of the 2025-26 NHL season, the New York Rangers will play seven of their final 10 games, and 11 of final 16 games of the season at home.
The Rangers should take any advantage they can get, as President and General Manager Chris Drury is no doubt looking for a clean slate after a rough 2024-25 and missing the postseason the very year after winning the Presidents' Trophy. The good news is that the Blueshirts' schedule this year does provide them with a few advantages.
The full 2025-26 #NYR Schedule: pic.twitter.com/zB0HrGMCv7
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) July 16, 2025
One key advantage the Rangers will hold this year is the fact that they will be playing at home as the season winds down.
Madison Square Garden Advantage
The Rangers will go 35 days without an away game, including all of February. There will be a three-week break in the middle of that stretch for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
The second half also features a seven-game home stand at the end of March into early April.
Other notable home games at Madison Square Garden — also known as the world's most famous arena — include matchups against Alexander Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals (Oct. 12), Connor McDavid’s Stanley Cup Final runner-ups Edmonton Oilers (Oct. 14), former Ranger K’Andre Miller’s Carolina Hurricanes (Nov. 4), fellow city foe the New York Islanders (Nov. 8) and Mikko Rantanen’s Dallas Stars (Dec. 2).
Plus, there's also the return of New York Rangers legend Chris Kreider and Jacob Trouba when their Anaheim Ducks hit the Garden on Dec. 15.
The Battle of the Hudson River won't take place until 2026, when the Blueshirts host the New Jersey Devils twice at home very quickly after one another, on March 18 and Tuesday, March 31.
However, it's also worth mentioning that this means the Rangers have a front-loaded schedule, which features 23 road games of the first 41.
So, what advantage does Madison Square Garden provide the Rangers?
The Rangers are used to MSG's ice and locker rooms, providing them with a sense of comfort. Additionally, the team will be located in the eastern time zone and won't have any travel fatigue. The home team also gets to make the last line change.
Of course, season ticket holders and home fans can only provide the team with a sense of passion — allowing for more energy buzzing throughout the venue.
Let's hope that the Rangers do well enough in the first half of the season that playing at MSG towards the end of the year will be looked at as fanfare and not much-needed wins.