NHL Winter Classic prediction: Odds, picks, best bet for Rangers vs. Panthers

There’s nothing that screams winter and ice hockey more than palm trees and checking the UV index. 

That’s the irony we’re awaiting for the 2026 NHL Winter Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami on Friday. The outdoor tilt between the Rangers and Panthers will be played in its warmest site since the annual spectacle began in 2008. 

It’s the first meeting between the Blueshirts and Cats this season. The Rangers stumble into it, struggling to sustain any form of consistency, having dropped their last three games and slipping further toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference, with a three-point margin separating them from the cut line. 

The Panthers have made up for lost ground recently after a lethargic start, winning nine of their last 13 games and now one point outside the dance.

While both clubs have been underperformers, there is still a bevy of star power in this one. Here are my three best bets to target for puck drop at 8 p.m. ET.

Vincent Trocheck Anytime Goal Scorer (+290, FanDuel)

The Rangers are 5-0-0 in outdoor games. Their most recent installment came when Trocheck potted a pair of goals against the Islanders at MetLife Stadium two years ago. It was Trocheck’s outdoor debut, and he finished the day with three points to seal a wacky 6-5 comeback.

He’s been a fortifying presence since returning from an upper-body injury in November, racking up nine goals in 26 games. Trocheck isn’t peppering the net as he averages only 1.7 shots per game, though when he does find shooting lanes, he’s beating the goaltender: Trocheck’s 18.8 percent shooting clip ranks second on the roster.

There’s more pressure on Trocheck to generate power-play success with J.T. Miller out of the lineup. He’s still searching for his first power play score, but he leads the Rangers as a five-on-five force, generating 1.09 goals per 60 according to MoneyPuck.

Trocheck has scored nine goals in 20 games against his former team. He makes his dough between the dots with tips, rebounds, and quick snap shots. 

With Sergei Bobrovsky finding more trouble with high-danger scoring chances versus years past, Trocheck has upside on this stage. 

Sam Reinhart Over 2.5 Shots on Goal (-115, FanDuel)

Reinhart is a consistent volume shooter, so this price isn’t bad to net three shots when he’s hot off back-to-back five-shot games.

He’s firing 2.6 shots per game with the team’s second-highest raw total (104) and a scary 21.2 percent shooting rate. In 33 career games against the Blueshirts, Reinhart has averaged 2.2 shots on goal. 

Reinhart is the power play’s engine, leading the team with seven goals via his quick release from the slot and one-timers from the right circle. In all situations, Reinhart ranks within the top-10 players in high-danger shot attempts and expected goals per MoneyPuck.

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This Panthers team still dominates in puck possession metrics with its famously aggressive forecheck. The weather forecast is projected to touch temperatures in the high 60s, so with a faster playing surface and cleaner puck movement, I can only see that propelling the club’s most threatening shooter. 

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Why Trust New York Post Betting

Sean Treppedi handicaps the NFL, NHL, MLB and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to mitigate risk.