The Florida Panthers have come a long way. Less than a decade ago, the Panthers were playing before large sections of empty seats and were ignored in the Miami area. The thought of sellout crowds and Stanley Cup championships was unfathomable in those days, as hosting the Winter Classic was not even on the radar.
These days, the Panthers sell out almost every game as the 2-time defending Stanley Cup champions. Florida has engineered and delivered one of the greatest turnarounds in sports history.
As a result of their success and fan support, the Panthers were awarded the Winter Classic, which will be held at the baseball park home to the Miami Marlins.
The Panthers will host the New York Rangers, a team expected to help draw an overflow crowd on Thursday night.
In contrast to the Panthers, the Rangers are one of the most disappointing teams in the NHL. Considered one of the most loaded teams in the NHL, the Rangers are fighting for the last Eastern Conference playoff spot.
The Winter Classic is always a big draw at the betting window and with the TV ratings. That will certainly be the case with a legacy franchise like the Rangers and the 2-time defending Stanley Cup champion Panthers.
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New York Rangers vs. Florida Panthers Betting at Bookmaker
LoanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins, will host the Winter Classic matchup between the Florida Panthers and the New York Rangers on Friday, January 2, 2026. Faceoff time is at 8 p.m. ET with television coverage on TNT.
New York is one of the biggest NHL brands on the board with a generational fan base. Thus, the Rangers will draw strong support at the betting window.
New York will be seen as a potentially good betting value as the road team, getting a more favorable price.
Florida will also draw support as the 2-time defending Stanley Cup champion and host team.
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are 19-17-5 straight up and 13-27-1 over/under the total.
New York is 11th in the Eastern Conference playoff standings. New York is eight points behind the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
New York has covered one out of their last four games. The Rangers have gone under the total in three of their previous four matchups.
New York ranks 31st in goals scored and 17th in power-play efficiency. The Rangers rank 7th in goals against and 14th in penalty killing.
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are 21-15-3 straight up and 22-17 over/under the total.
Florida is 8th in the Eastern Conference playoff standings. Florida is six points behind the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
Florida has covered two out of their last five games. While the Panthers have gone over the total in five of its previous six matchups.
Florida ranks 9th in goals scored and 20th in power-play efficiency. The Panthers rank 17th in goals against and 6th in penalty killing.
Rangers vs. Panthers Betting Trends
The Rangers have been a steady road betting value. New York got the cash in 11 of their last 17 road games. The Rangers went under the total in four of their last five away games.
The Panthers got the cash in four of their last six home games. Florida went over the total in four of their last six home tilts.
Florida has dominated its series with New York recently. The Panthers got the cash in five of their last six games against the Rangers. The Rangers and Panthers went under the total in six of their most recent nine meetings.
Florida saw the payout window in three of its last four home games with the Rangers. The Rangers and Panthers went over the total in 14 of their last 17 games at Florida.
Rangers vs. Panthers Bookmaker Best Bets
In this situation, the Panthers are the better team and have enjoyed the advantage over the Rangers in this series.
Main Pick: Florida Panthers
Over/Under Pick: Over the Total
Player Prop Picks: Artemi Panarin under the Total Points Total
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