Mathew Barzal

The Rangers, Islanders and Devils return to the ice tonight as the 2021 NHL regular season begins.

Ordinarily hockey fans would be talking trade deadline and all-star game voting in the middle of January. Unfortunately, we don’t live in an ordinary time.

The Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup a couple short months ago after bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton produced a terrific, healthy postseason. After an offseason unlike any we’ve seen before the National Hockey League is ready to return to the ice.

And what better way for New Yorkers to start the new year than with the Islanders and Rangers kicking things off against each other!

The Rangers, Islanders and Devils have big plans for the coming season. We broke down what to expect and what we learned during their respective training camps. Click on your team’s logo below for the full season previews.

Happy hockey new year!

ESNY staff reports.