The 2026-27 NHL season begins tonight and the New York Rangers have a blank slate in front of them with 84 chances to improve on the last two seasons.
The Blueshirts are set to open the season on the road against their Original Six rival, the Boston Bruins, tonight, Sept. 29.
Last season, the Rangers finished with a 34-39-9 record overall, missing the playoffs for the second season in a row. This year, the team is embarking on this new season with a retooled roster and new expectations.
Watch Rangers vs. Bruins for free
- When: Sept. 29, 8 p.m. ET
- Where: TD Garden (Boston, Massachusetts)
- How to watch for free: DIRECTV (five-day free trial)
- TV Channel: ESPN
“I think the expectation is more inward than results,” captain J.T. Miller told The Post during training camp. “I think if we have high expectations for each other on a daily basis, on and off the ice, we’re going to be a better hockey team, and we’ll just leave it at that.”
The team added Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights fresh off their Stanley Cup Final appearance where Dorofeyev scored the most goals in the postseason (12), and subsequently signed him to a long-term extension. Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson were brought in to aid the defense and former Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo is the Rangers’ new number-two guy behind Igor Shesterkin.
18-year-old rookie Alberts Smits, who was selected fifth overall in the 2026 Draft, also made the Rangers’ opening night roster after an impressive first training camp.
Here’s how to watch the Rangers season-opener if you don’t have cable.
Rangers vs. Bruins start time
Puck drop at tonight’s (Sept. 29) Rangers vs. Bruins game is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.
How to watch Rangers vs. Bruins for free
If you don’t have cable, you’ll need a live TV streaming service to tune in to tonight’s Rangers game.
DIRECTV is our favorite service for trying live TV for free. Right now, you can take advantage of a five-day free trial before saving $30 on your first month. We recommend the Choice plan, which includes ESPN as part of its 125+ channels.
If you aren’t ready to commit to a full-on subscription and just want to tune into today’s matches, you can try a Sling TV Orange Day Pass. Priced at $4.99, you’ll get 24 hours of access to all Sling TV Orange has to offer, including ESPN.
Rangers schedule 2026
The NHL has expanded the regular season to 84 games beginning this season. You can check out the full 84-game slate here, but below, we’ve listed out some key matchups, including the Blueshirts’ first game against each Metropolitan Division rival.
- Home opener: Oct. 1 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m. ET (MSG) – get tickets
- Oct. 6 vs. New York Islanders, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
- Vincent Trocheck returns to MSG: Oct. 4 vs. Utah Mammoth, 6 p.m. ET (MSG)
- Oct. 9 vs. Washington Capitals, 7 p.m. ET (MSG, NHL Network)
- Oct. 15 vs. New Jersey Devils, 7 p.m. ET (MSG)
- Oct. 17 vs. Columbus Blue Jackets, 7 p.m. ET (MSG)
- Nov. 5 vs. Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m. ET (MSG)
- Nov. 22 vs. Carolina Hurricanes, 12:30 p.m. ET (MSG)
- Jan. 29 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. ET (MSG)
Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post
This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Streaming Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping, Page Six, and Decider.com. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. When she’s not writing about (or watching) TV, movies, and sports, she’s also keeping up on the underrated perfume dupes at Bath & Body Works and testing headphones. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews.
