Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers Picks and Prediction, Tuesday October 7, 2025
After months of waiting, the NHL is finally back, and on opening night, we'll see a key Metropolitan Division showdown with our Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers prediction.
The Pittsburgh Penguins (34-36-12 in 2024-25) are a team that has taken a major decline in recent years, and even with icons like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, not much is expected from them as we head into the 2025/26 campaign.
On Tuesday, they'll battle their fierce rival New York Rangers (39-36-7 in 2024-25), a team that surprisingly struggled a year ago, and with many changes on the ice and behind the bench, they're hoping for a major bounce back this season. Read on to see our Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers prediction.
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Can the Penguins surprise the NHL world in 2025/26?
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been one of the NHL's most successful teams over the past two decades, but with the team struggling to find elite play beyond their captain, Sidney Crosby, all signs point to this being a rebuilding squad in 2025/26. Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, they struggled on the road in 2024/25, going 13-21-7 in that time, and while they added solid pieces like Arturs Silovs, Anthony Mantha, and Matt Dumba this off-season, they're still expecting to struggle this season.
One major positive from last year is the continued production of Sidney Crosby, who turned 37 before the season, before putting up 33 goals and 91 points in 80 games played with the team. Beyond Crosby, the team is looking for young players such as Rutger McGroarty, Harrison Brunicke, and Ville Koivune, among others to take a step forward, but overall, this isn't a team that many have pegged as a Stanley Cup Playoffs team.
Tristan Jerry (16-12, 3.12 GAA, .892 SV% in 2024-25) is expected to be in net for the Pens.
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Can the Rangers turn it around to become contenders this season?
Last year, many expected the New York Rangers to be a Stanley Cup Playoffs threat, but despite the acquisition of J.T. Miller to the team, they just couldn't turn things around after their season started to spiral, missing the post-season shockingly. Despite playing in one of the best atmospheres in hockey, the Rangers were just 19-19-3 at Madison Square Garden last season, and after being booed off the ice several times, they'll be looking to turn things around this season.
There were positives for New York a year ago, as Miller posted 35 points in 32 games played, while Artemi Panarin led the way with 89, and with the latter set for free agency in 2026, he'll be looking to lead this team with a big season. In the off-season, the Rangers made some solid moves, landing Vladislav Gavrikov and Juuso Parssinen, but the biggest change of all may have been behind the bench, as they landed two-time Stanley Cup winner Mike Sullivan from the Penguins squad to hopefully lead them back into the postseason.
Igor Shesterkin gets the nod in net for the Rangers. The 29-year-old was 23-21 with a 2.46 GAA and .905 save percentage last season for the Rangers.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers pick
Moneyline pick for Penguins vs. Rangers
- New York -1.5 (5 units)
While the Pittsburgh Penguins still have Sidney Crosby, who has shown no signs of slowing down at 38 years of age, this is a team that simply lacks the overall depth and talent that they've once had, with the New York Rangers going 3-1 in four meetings against them a year ago.
On top of that, the Rangers now have the major advantage behind the bench in the former Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, and with the better goaltending and much higher expectations in 2025/26, expect New York to put on a show at MSG and pick up an opening night win.
Over/under pick for Penguins vs. Rangers
- Under 6.5 (4 units)
In this matchup, it's the Rangers with the clear advantage in net with Igor Shesterkin, and with the under being 6-3-1 in their last 10 head-to-head encounters, Shesterkin and the Rangers should keep this as a very low-scoring contest.
In their seven pre-season games, the Penguins allowed two or less goals in four of them, and for the Rangers, they allowed three or less in three of their pre-season matchups, with the team hoping to lean on superstar Shesterkin to keep this one a grind.
Keep it simple, take the under.
