The NHL has unveiled its 2025-26 schedule, featuring Matthew Schaefer’s possible debut, major milestone chases for Ovechkin and Crosby, and special events including the first Winter Classic in Florida.

A front-loaded schedule, which features 23 road games of the first 41, will lead into a second half that includes a seven-game home stand at the end of March into early April. All four meetings with the Islanders are before the March 6 trade deadline. All three meetings with the Devils are after the trade deadline.

After the NHL announced Monday that the Rangers would kick off the 2025-26 schedule on Oct. 7 at Madison Square Garden against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the league released the rest of its schedule Wednesday.