The New York Rangers (15-12-4, 34 points) face off against the Chicago Blackhawks (12-11-6, 30 points) in a classic Original Six matchup on Wednesday, December 10, 2025. This inter-conference tilt carries intrigue as both teams sit in the middle of their respective divisions—the Rangers seventh in the Metropolitan and the Blackhawks fifth in the Central—each desperate for consistency amid uneven starts to the 2025-26 season. The Rangers enter as road favorites, looking to build on a solid recent stretch, while the Blackhawks aim to snap a mini-slump at home. Expect a structured, defensive battle with strong goaltending on both sides potentially keeping the score low.
Venue and Broadcast Details
Location: United Center, Chicago, Illinois (capacity: 19,717 for hockey). This iconic arena, home to the Blackhawks since 1995, features a lively atmosphere with its famous organ music and passionate fanbase. The ice surface is NHL-standard (85×200 feet), and the altitude (about 600 feet above sea level) shouldn’t factor much compared to high-elevation venues.
Puckdrop: 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT).
Broadcast: National TV on TNT, truTV, and HBO Max; streaming on Fubo (regional restrictions apply). Radio coverage includes SiriusXM NHL Network Radio (channel 93 for Rangers, 91 for Blackhawks). Pre-game analysis starts at 7:00 p.m. ET on TNT.
Injury Report
Both teams are dealing with key absences on defense and in the bottom six, which could tilt the game toward conservative play and fewer power-play opportunities. Here’s a snapshot:
| Team | Player | Position | Injury | Status | Estimated Return | Notes |
| NYR | Adam Fox | D | Left arm | IR-LT | Late December/January | Norris Trophy finalist tied for team lead in points (26) before injury; Rangers have tightened team D in his absence (2.61 GAA team rank: 6th). |
| NYR | Filip Chytil | C | Upper body | OUT | December 13 | Day-to-day; impacts third-line scoring depth. |
| NYR | Ryan Lindgren | D | Undisclosed | IR-LT | December 27 | Secondary blueliner; lineup shuffle with K’Andre Miller seeing more ice. |
| CHI | Nick Foligno | LW | Hand | IR | December 13 | Veteran leader; questionable for game day, affecting penalty kill (CHI PK%: 84.5, 5th). |
| CHI | Shea Weber | D | Ankle | IR-LT | July 1, 2026 | Out for season; long-term holdover from prior year, strains blue line. |
| CHI | Laurent Brossoit | G | Hip | OUT | December 10 | Activated but conditioning in AHL; Spencer Knight starts. |
No major forward injuries for either side, but the Rangers’ blue-line woes without Fox could test their structure against Chicago’s young offense.
Key Player Matchups
This game’s pulse will be set by star forwards testing elite goaltending and defensive pairings. The Rangers’ top-end talent gives them an edge, but Chicago’s home-ice energy could fuel counterattacks.
Artemi Panarin (NYR, LW) vs. Chicago’s Top Defensive Pair (Seth Jones/Connor Murphy): Panarin leads the Rangers with 32 points (10G-22A) in 31 games, thriving on the top line with a 20:39 average TOI. He’s a wizard on the power play (18.8% team efficiency). Jones (CHI’s shutdown guy) will shadow him, but Panarin’s quick release has exploited similar pairings (5 points in last 3 road games). Edge: Panarin—expect 1-2 points if NYR controls possession.
Connor Bedard (CHI, C) vs. Rangers’ Penalty Kill (Jacob Trouba/Mika Zibanejad): The 2023 No. 1 pick has 18 points (8G-10A) but just 2 in his last 5 games amid Chicago’s slump. Zibanejad (11G) and Trouba will jam the neutral zone to limit his speed. Bedard’s shot volume (2.8 SOG/game) could test Igor Shesterkin, but NYR’s PK (80.2%) ranks 21st—vulnerable if undisciplined. Edge: Rangers—Bedard needs linemates like Philipp Kurashev to create space.
Igor Shesterkin (NYR, G) vs. Spencer Knight (CHI, G): Shesterkin (12-9-3, 2.46 GAA, .913 SV%) has won 3 straight starts, including a 32-save shutout vs. Buffalo. Knight (9-6-5, 2.62 GAA, .914 SV%) is 2-1-1 at home but leaky in high-danger (3.07 team GAA). Shesterkin’s edge in big saves (top-10 in high-danger SV%) could steal it. Edge: Shesterkin—projected 28 saves on 30 shots.
Mika Zibanejad (NYR, C) vs. Chicago’s Bottom-Six Forwards: Zibanejad’s faceoff win% (52.1%) and shot volume (2.9 SOG/game) dominate draws. He’ll face Jason Dickinson’s line, which has struggled (1.2 GF/60 at EV). Edge: Zibanejad—key for NYR’s cycle game.
Watch for secondary battles: Vincent Trocheck (NYR) vs. Nick Foligno (if active) on faceoffs, and Alex Vlasic (CHI D) containing Chris Kreider’s net-front presence.
Team Records and Standings Context
New York Rangers: 15-12-4 (34 points, .548 win%). 7-6-3 on road (decent away form). Metropolitan Division: 4th in GF/GP (2.65, 18th league), elite in GA/GP (2.61, 6th). Power play middling (18.8%, 17th); PK solid but improving (80.2%, 21st).
Chicago Blackhawks: 12-11-6 (30 points, .500 win%). 6-5-3 at home (strong United Center record). Central Division: Middle-pack scoring (3.04 GF/GP, 16th), leaky defense (3.07 GA/GP, 19th). PP strong (22.4%, 10th); league-best PK (84.5%, 5th).
Both teams hover around .500, with NYR’s structure giving them a slight talent edge (No. 12 offense vs. No. 22 for CHI).
Recent Team Forms
The Rangers are trending up with balanced results, while the Blackhawks have sputtered offensively.
Rangers Last 10 Games (5-3-2):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Notes |
| Dec 7 | vs. VGK | L 2-3 (OT) | Shesterkin strong (28 saves); late collapse. |
| Dec 6 | vs. COL | L 2-3 (OT) | Competitive; 27 SOG but outshot 42-27. |
| Dec 4 | @ OTT | W 4-2 | Panarin 2A; road resilience. |
| Dec 2 | vs. DAL | W 3-2 (OT) | 41 SOG; power-play goal seals it. |
| Nov 29 | vs. TBL | L 1-4 | Defensive lapses post-Fox injury. |
| Nov 28 | @ BOS | W 6-2 | Offensive explosion (38 SOG). |
| Nov 26 | @ CAR | W 4-2 | Zibanejad GWG. |
| Nov 24 | vs. STL | W 3-2 | Tight win; even strength dominant. |
| Nov 22 | @ UTA | L 2-3 | Travel fatigue shows. |
| Nov 20 | @ COL | L 3-6 | High-event loss; PP struggles. |
Form: Steady D (2.9 GA/game last 10), but OT losses sting. 4-1-1 in last 6 road games.
Blackhawks Last 10 Games (3-6-1):
| Date | Opponent | Result | Key Notes |
| Dec 6 | @ LAK | L 0-6 | Shutout embarrassment; Knight pulled. |
| Dec 4 | @ LAK | W 2-1 | Back-to-back bounce-back; PP goal. |
| Dec 2 | @ VGK | L 3-4 (S/O) | Bedard scores but shootout woes. |
| Nov 30 | vs. ANA | W 5-3 | Offensive burst (2 PP goals). |
| Nov 28 | vs. NSH | L 3-4 | Late rally falls short. |
| Nov 26 | vs. MIN | L 3-4 | 37 SOG but defensive breakdowns. |
| Nov 23 | vs. COL | L 0-1 | Low-event; outchanced heavily. |
| Nov 21 | @ BUF | L 3-9 | Blowout; Foligno injured. |
| Nov 20 | vs. SEA | L 2-3 | Close but no finish. |
| Nov 18 | vs. CGY | W 5-2 | Bedard multi-point; home cooking. |
Form: Inconsistent (3.0 GF/game, 3.7 GA/game last 10). 1-4 in last 5 overall, but 4-1 ATS in that span—value as dogs.
Series History
This is the 625th all-time meeting (regular season + playoffs), with the series tightly contested. Chicago holds a slight historical edge, but New York has dominated recently.
All-Time Record: Blackhawks lead 253-245-102 (OTL included; .507 win% for CHI).
Regular Season Only: Rangers 249-251-100 (.497 win%).
Playoffs: Blackhawks 14-10 (including 2014 ECF sweep by CHI).
Last 10 Meetings: Rangers 6-3-1, outscoring CHI 32-25. Most recent: NYR 4-2 win on Jan. 5, 2025 @ MSG (Panarin 2G).
At United Center: Split 5-5 in last 10; Rangers 2-1 last 3 visits.
Trends: Under hits 7/10 recent games (avg. 5.2 total goals). Rangers 4-1 SU as road favorites vs. CHI since 2020.
The rivalry dates to 1926, with iconic moments like the 1994 Cup Final (NYR wins in 7). Expect playoff-like intensity.
Betting Trends
Moneyline: Rangers 7-3 SU in last 10 as favorites; 5-5 when -141 or shorter. Blackhawks 4-6 SU as dogs; 1-4 in last 5 overall but 4-1 ATS.
Puck Line: NYR 6-4 ATS last 10 road games. CHI covers +1.5 in 7/10 home underdogs.
Total: Under 6 in 7/10 series meetings. NYR 11/31 games over 6 (35%); CHI 15/? over 6. Combined avg. 5.6 GF/game < line. Last 5 CHI home games: 3 unders.
Game Odds
New York Rangers – 142
Chicago Blackhawks 5.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Tuesday, December 9, 2025
