NHL

Rangers Schedule: Open with nine games on the road

The NHL confirmed its participation in the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games, thus allowing for release of the 2013-14 schedule that will feature an opening long and winding road trip for the Rangers consisting of nine games prior to the club’s Garden debut on Oct. 28 against Montreal.

The season-opening trek that commences in Phoenix on Oct. 3, features a hopscotch across the continent while the final phase of the Garden renovation continues throughout the month.

The Blueshirts, who will play outdoor games at Yankee Stadium against the Devils on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 26 and against the Islanders on Wednesday night, Jan. 29, have a nine-game homestand in December.

John Tortorella, fired as Rangers’ coach following the club’s second-round playoff elimination by the Bruins, will make his return to Broadway as coach of the Canucks on Saturday afternoon, Nov. 30.

Alain Vigneault, who traded places with Tortorella, will lead the Blueshirts into Vancouver on Apr. 1 during the club’s late-season trip through western Canada.

The names of the four realigned divisions were announced: Metropolitan, Atlantic, Central and Pacific. The Rangers, Devils, Islanders, Capitals, Penguins, Flyers, Hurricanes and Blue Jackets make up the Metropolitan Division.

The NHL will break from Feb. 9 through Feb. 25 in order to accommodate the Olympic tournament that will be contested from Feb. 12 through Feb. 23. The Rangers will be off from Feb. 8 through Feb. 26.

Canada is the defending Gold Medalist, having beaten the USA 3-2 on Sidney Crosby’s overtime goal in the 2010 Final in Vancouver.

Thu.Oct. 3 at PHX 10:00 PM

Mon.Oct. 7 at LAK 10:30 PM

Tue.Oct. 8 at SJS 10:30 PM

Thu.Oct. 10 at ANA 10:00 PM

Sat.Oct. 12 at STL 8:00 PM

Wed.Oct. 16 at WSH 7:30 PM

Sat.Oct. 19 at NJD 7:00 PM

Thu.Oct. 24 at PHI 7:00 PM

Sat.Oct. 26 at DET 7:00 PM

Mon.Oct. 28 MTL 7:30 PM

Tue.Oct. 29 at NYI 7:00 PM

Thu.Oct. 31 BUF 7:00 PM

Sat.Nov. 2 CAR 7:00 PM

Mon.Nov. 4 ANA 7:30 PM

Wed.Nov. 6 PIT 7:30 PM

Thu.Nov. 7 at CBJ 7:00 PM

Sun.Nov. 10 FLA 7:00 PM

Tue.Nov. 12 NJD 7:00 PM

Sat.Nov. 16 at MTL 7:00 PM

Sun.Nov. 17 LAK 7:00 PM

Tue.Nov. 19 BOS 7:30 PM

Thu.Nov. 21 at DAL 8:30 PM

Sat.Nov. 23 at NSH 8:00 PM

Mon.Nov. 25 at TBL 7:30 PM

Wed.Nov. 27 at FLA 7:30 PM

Fri.Nov. 29 at BOS 1:00 PM

Sat.Nov. 30 VAN 2:00 PM

Mon.Dec. 2 WPG 7:00 PM

Thu.Dec. 5 at BUF 7:00 PM

Sat.Dec. 7 NJD 7:30 PM

Sun.Dec. 8 WSH 7:00 PM

Tue.Dec. 10 NSH 7:30 PM

Thu.Dec. 12 CBJ 7:00 PM

Sun.Dec. 15 CGY 7:00 PM

Wed.Dec. 18 PIT 8:00 PM

Fri.Dec. 20 NYI 7:00 PM

Sun.Dec. 22 MIN 7:30 PM

Mon.Dec. 23 TOR 7:00 PM

Fri. Dec. 27 at WSH 7:00 PM

Sun.Dec. 29 at TBL 7:00 PM

Tue.Dec. 31 at FLA 5:00 PM

Fri.Jan. 3 at PIT 7:00 PM

Sat.Jan. 4 at TOR 7:00 PM

Mon.Jan. 6 CBJ 7:00 PM

Wed.Jan. 8 at CHI 8:00 PM

Fri.Jan. 10 DAL 7:00 PM

Sun.Jan. 12 PHI 7:00 PM

Tue.Jan. 14 TBL 7:00 PM

Thu.Jan. 16 DET 7:00 PM

Sat. Jan. 18 at OTT 2:00 PM

Sun.Jan. 19 WSH 7:30 PM

Tue.Jan. 21 NYI 7:00 PM

Thu.Jan. 23 STL 7:00 PM

Sun.Jan. 26 at NJD 12:30 PM

Wed.Jan. 29 at NYI 7:00 PM

Fri.Jan. 31 NYI 7:00 PM

Tue.Feb. 4 COL 7:00 PM

Thu.Feb. 6 EDM 7:00 PM

Fri.Feb. 7 at PIT 7:00 PM

Thu.Feb. 27 CHI 7:00 PM

Sat.Mar. 1 at PHI 1:00 PM

Sun.Mar. 2 BOS 7:00 PM

Wed.Mar. 5 TOR 7:00 PM

Fri.Mar. 7 at CAR 7:00 PM

Sun.Mar. 9 DET 7:30 PM

Tue.Mar. 11 at CAR 7:00 PM

Thu.Mar. 13 at MIN 8:00 PM

Fri.Mar. 14 at WPG 8:00 PM

Sun.Mar. 16 SJS 4:00 PM

Tue.Mar. 18 at OTT 7:30 PM

Fri.Mar. 21 at CBJ 7:00 PM

Sat.Mar. 22 at NJD 7:00 PM

Mon.Mar. 24 PHX 7:00 PM

Wed.Mar. 26 PHI 8:00 PM

Fri.Mar. 28 at CGY 9:00 PM

Sun.Mar. 30 at EDM 8:00 PM

Tue.Apr. 1 at VAN 10:00 PM

Thu.Apr. 3 at COL 9:00 PM

Sat.Apr. 5 OTT 7:00 PM

Tue.Apr. 8 CAR 7:00 PM

Thu.Apr. 10 BUF 7:00 PM

Sat.Apr. 12 at MTL 7:00 PM