Three Marquee Matchups for The Rangers This Upcoming Season
By Andy Knapp
With all 32 NHL teams now having their official 2024/25 schedules locked in and published, the New York Rangers look to compete for another deep playoff run this October. There are quite a few interesting matchups the Rangers will face this season, and here are some of the most prominent, from divisional clashes to first time meetings.
Oct. 9: Season opener in Pittsburgh
Always an entertaining matchup regardless if these two teams play a holiday special or not, the Rangers' first game of the season doesn't see them at MSG, but rather PPG (Paints Arena) to face the Penguins at 7:30 pm, a near primetime slot to open the league's 107th playing season. The Penguins are definitely going to be an interesting team, narrowly missing this season's playoffs due to some other late-season Eastern Conference shakeups with rivals of their own. Also in play is the Reilly Smith deal New York made with the Pens during free agency frenzy at the beginning of this month. How well will the 33-year-old RW, who played just a season with a different team besides his draft team, the then-expansion Vegas Golden Knights? Smith had 13 goals and 27 assists in 76 games last season, which was a slight dip from his final season in Vegas, but he's still got the scoring ability the Rangers will need on the RW side.
Oct. 12: Home opener vs Utah
The remnants of what once were the Arizona Coyotes aren't the only team to start the 2024/25 season on the road. The new Utah Hockey Club (which is a placeholder name; the franchise will decide on a permanent name in 2025/26) travels to MSG for the Rangers' home opener on October 12 at exactly 7 pm, the seemingly most common puck drop time for Eastern Conference squads. The Rangers won both matchups with the then Coyotes last season, the first on October 16 in Glendale 2-1 and then on March 30 at home by an 8-5 scoreline, which also gave them their 50th win of the season. With most of the same players on Utah's roster, after they were all effectively transferred from Arizona, New York should make this easier than finding your way through Central Park at night.
ECF Rematch vs Florida, October 24
A rematch of what could've been the most hotly contested playoff series in 2023/24, just a week out from Halloween night, is a dream come true and a curse for some Rangers fans. New York will definitely be seeking redemption when the first-time Stanley Cup champions Florida Panthers come to town on October 24 at 7 pm. These two teams have virtually the same firepower as another, so expect either a lot of back-and-forth scoring or a slow game where someone finally breaks the ice late in regulation. Heck, expect this to go to OT or a shootout, even- it's gonna most likely be that crazy!
Other key matchups for the Rangers include a visit to their Western counterparts and fellow powerhouse Edmonton Oilers on November 23, a few days out from the league's Thanksgiving break. Speaking of that, New York does play the day before Thanksgiving, November 27, visiting Eastern rival Carolina, who undoubtedly put an unknowing run to their Cup chances these playoffs. That one may be worth recording on your DVR to tune in on Turkey Day 2024. And it's not the only holiday treat the Rangers snag this year- December 23 gives Rangers fans an early Christmas present with a duel against the Devils in the hostile territory known as the Prudential Center. You might wanna save some leftover turkey for that one.