The next Pittsburgh Penguins season is officially on the horizon.
Monday, the NHL announced that the Penguins will play the season opener against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 7. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m.
Of course, the NHL is not only leaning into the longstanding rivalry between the Penguins and Rangers, but also the coach swap that happened over the summer. After nine-plus seasons and two Stanley Cups, Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas fired coach Mike Sullivan, though it was termed a mutual parting of the ways.
Rangers GM Chris Drury quickly pounced, and a week later, Sullivan was named the new head coach of the Rangers, succeeding the fired Peter Laviolette.
Former Penguins assistants David Quinn and Ty Hennes also joined Sullivan in New York.
More than a month later, the Penguins finally found their man, too. Dubas hired former Rangers assistant Dan Muse, who was also let go with Laviolette following the Rangers’ disappointing 2024-25 season.
It will be the first time Sullivan has been a head coach against the Penguins since he was the bench boss of the Boston Bruins in 2005-06. But it will also be the first game Sullivan will coach against the Penguins since his departure,
The same is true for Muse, but it will also be Muse’s first game as an NHL head coach. The full NHL schedule is expected to be released on Wednesday at 1 p.m.