Rangers-I Islanders Preseason Opener at MSG Kick-Starts NHL Slate

The New York Rangers and New York Islanders open their two-game preseason slate Thursday night, with puck drop at 7:15 p.m. ET at Madison Square Garden. The cross-town showdown begins a six-game NHL preseason slate as teams evaluate depth ahead of the regular season.

For the Rangers, the focus is on filling out their bottom-six forward group and testing line combinations that could contribute beyond the top units. The Islanders, meanwhile, will showcase youth while continuing their rebuild, including the presence of 2025 No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer.

In last season's meetings, the Rangers swept the Islanders 4-0, outscoring them 23-5. Artemi Panarin led the Rangers with 89 points, while Bo Horvat’s 57 points paced the Islanders. Despite the lopsided head-to-head results, the Islanders ranked in the upper half of the NHL in five-on-five expected goals per Moneypuck, underscoring a balanced possession profile at times.

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Separately, Philadelphia and Washington will meet in Hershey, Pennsylvania, the home of the Capitals’ American Hockey League affiliate, in a rare cross-league matchup that adds another dimension to the NHL’s preseason landscape.

Thursday's game at MSG marks the first of two preseason meetings between the clubs, a tune-up for a season expected to feature competitive battles as teams assess depth and potential line combos.