Rangers have 13 games on NBC Sports' national schedule compared with 2 for Islanders
Kaapo Kakko, left, at the Rangers' prospect development camp. Credit: Howard Simmons
NBC Sports believes the Rangers had a good offseason, as reflected by the network’s NHL national broadcast schedule released on Tuesday.
The Rangers, who drafted Finnish wing Kaapo Kakko second overall in June then signed marquee free agent Artemi Panarin and acquired defensemen Jacob Trouba and Adam Fox of Jericho after missing the playoffs for the second straight season, will have 13 of their games broadcast by NBC or NBC Sports Network. That’s just two fewer than the defending Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues.
The Islanders, who advanced to the second round of the playoffs, have two games on the initial national schedule as they host the Devils on Jan. 2 and the Flyers on Feb. 11. Both games are at Barclays Center at 7 p.m. and will be broadcast by NBCSN.
NBCSN also will air the expected first meeting between this year’s top two draft picks as the Rangers will face the Devils, who selected American-born center Jack Hughes first overall, at Prudential Center on Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. The Devils, who also acquired popular defenseman P.K. Subban, have four games on the NBC Sports schedule.
NBC will air two Rangers games, at Boston on Nov. 29 at 1 p.m. and against the Flyers at Madison Square Garden on March 1 at noon.
The national broadcasts will begin on Oct. 2 on NBCSN at 8 p.m. when the Blues raise their Cup banner and host the Capitals, who won the Cup in 2018.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
