New York Rangers vs Pittsburgh Penguins: Game preview, predictions, and odds | October 9, 2024

On Wednesday, the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins will compete in their season opener in Pittsburgh as they look to get the 2024-25 season off on the right foot. For the Rangers, the game will mark the first of what they hope will be another successful season that includes a deep postseason run.

On the flip side, the Penguins will be looking to improve on their 2023-24 season, where they narrowly missed the playoffs with a 38-32-12 record (88 points) that saw them finish fifth in the Metropolitan Division.

At the same time, the game will kick off Sidney Crosby's 20th season in the league after inking a two-year extension with the Penguins this summer that will keep him under contract through the 2026-27 season.

Both teams underwent some changes to their roster over the summer, however, many of both teams' core players will be back for another season in pursuit of the Stanley Cup.

New York most notably acquired 2023 Stanley Cup Champion Reilly Smith, who brings a wealth of playoff experience to a team that fell just two games shy of the Stanley Cup Finals last year.

On the flip side, while the Penguins sent Smith to the Rangers for two draft picks, the team did make several acquisitions, most notably adding 2023 All-Star Kevin Hayes to their forward unit.

Game details can be seen below:

Time: 4:30 p.m. Pacific | 7:30 p.m. Eastern

City: Pittsburgh, PA

Venue: PPG Paints Arena

Broadcasting info: TNT

New York Rangers vs Pittsburgh Penguins prediction

Last season, the New York Rangers went 2-1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the regular season. The Rangers took the first two meetings in November and March before the Penguins picked up a 5-2 win in April.

While both teams will see many of their key players return this season, we're giving the edge to the New York Rangers. Given their postseason success last year and the fact that the team is one of the top five favorites to win the Stanley Cup this year, look for New York to start their 2024-25 campaign off hot.

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New York Rangers vs Pittsburgh Penguins odds

At the time of publication, odds for Wednesday night's Rangers-Penguins game are nearly even, with New York sitting as slight underdogs at -138 odds, while on the flip side, Pittsburgh is heading into the game as +115 underdogs.

These odds are similar to those seen on DraftKings, where New York is -148 favorites, and Pittsburgh is positioned as +124 underdogs.