Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers Prediction, NHL Odds
The clear storyline of the NHL season opener between the Penguins and Rangers from Madison Square Garden in New York on Tuesday night is new Blueshirts coach Mike Sullivan, who was formerly in that role for many years with the Pens.
The Rangers are -210 on the NHL odds with a total of 5.5.
Penguins vs. Rangers NHL Betting Odds
This is one of three NHL season openers on Tuesday around the league. It’s the Rangers regular-season head coaching debut of Mike Sullivan. He replaced Peter Laviolette, who was fired after the Rangers missed the playoffs last season following a trip to the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals.
If any head coach in the NHL should know how best to beat the Penguins, it would seemingly be Sullivan as he was fired by Pittsburgh after last season – his 10th behind the bench with the franchise. Sullivan coached the Penguins to the Stanley Cup title back-to-back in 2016 and ’17, but the team is now rebuilding despite still having veteran future Hall of Famers like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang on the roster.
New York went 3-1 vs. in this series last season, including 1-1 at Madison Square Garden. They also opened the 2024-25 campaign against one another but in Pittsburgh. The Rangers rolled 6-0 behind Igor Shesterkin’s 29-save shutout. The Russian started all four games in the series and had a 2.02 goals-against average and .932 save percentage. Vincent Trocheck (3G, 4A) led the Rangers with seven points. Blueliner Erik Karlsson (3A) led Pittsburgh with three points. Crosby had just an assist in his three games. Three different Penguins goaltenders saw action in the series.
The Rangers have won seven of the past nine vs. the Penguins overall. The under is 4-1 in the past five in New York.
Pittsburgh Penguins
This will be the 21st season opener for Sidney Crosby and 20th for Evgeni Malkin with both future first-ballot Hall of Famers spending their entire careers in Pittsburgh.
Most think Crosby will finish out his contract through next season but that this will be it for Malkin as his contract is up. Both remain excellent players with the 38-year-old Crosby putting up 91 points in 80 games last season and the 39-year-old Malkin with 50 points in 68 games.
The team’s No. 3 scorer last year, winger Bryan Rust (65 points), will miss at least the first week of the regular season with a lower-body injury.
Tristan Jarry should be in net after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign that saw him go 16-12-6 with a 3.12 GAA and .893 SV in 36 games. Jarry was the team’s opening night goalie but struggled so much early on he was placed on waivers but not claimed and sent to the AHL.
Jarry played better upon returning to the NHL. He lost his lone start last year vs. New York, though, allowing six goals. That was opening night. Pittsburgh was 3-9 in its final 12 road games last year and finished 13-21-7 overall away.
New York Rangers
The Rangers usually are almost unbeatable on home ice but were only 19-19-3 at Madison Square Garden last season, among many reasons why they missed the playoffs. That’s a big reason why they made the coaching change.
The Blueshirts have two injury concerns to top forwards in Artemi Panarin and former Vancouver Canuck J.T. Miller. Nothing serious for each, and the hope is they are ready for Tuesday. Panarin led the club with 89 points in 80 games last season and Miller had 35 points in 32 games after coming over from the Canucks.
On Sept. 16, Miller was named the 29th captain in franchise history. Among all NHL players who took 1,000 or more faceoffs in 2024-25, Miller tied for third in faceoff per centage (58.2). He is the only player in the NHL since the 2021-22 season to have recorded 300 or more points, as well as 700 or more hits.
No doubt it will be former Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin in net. Like much of the team, he had a bit of a down 2024-25 campaign at 27-29-5 with a 2.86 GAA and .905 SV. The under is 4-1 in the Rangers’ past five at home vs. the Penguins.
