Tage Thompson (left); Igor Shesterkin (right) -- (Dennis Schneidler, USA TODAY Images) [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/03c3e097-478b-41bf-b893-047f15b52ca2.jpeg] Tage Thompson (left); Igor Shesterkin (right) -- (Dennis Schneidler, USA TODAY Images) THN.com [https://thehockeynews.com/]'s ongoing series on the Buffalo Sabres and their opponents next season continues with this look at the New York Rangers and the considerable changes the Rangers have made thus far this off-season, as well as their record against the Sabres [http://thn.com/buffalo] and their schedule head-to-head this coming season. The Rangers [http://thn.com/nyrangers] have a new voice guiding them on the ice in former Pittsburgh Penguins [http://thn.com/pittsburgh] and Boston Bruins [http://thn.com/boston] coach Mike Sullivan. And the Blueshirts were quite active in the trade and free-agency departments, so the Sabres team that mostly stayed the same is going to see a much different Rangers squad. So we're excited to see the way the games between the two teams shakes out this year. "The Wraparound" BUFFALO SABRES VS. NEW YORK RANGERS NEW RANGERS PLAYERS: Vladislav Gavrikov, D; Taylor Raddysh, RW; Justin Dowling, LW; Scott Morrow, D 2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 2-1-0, Rangers 1-2-0 2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER: October 9 at Buffalo; January 8 at Rangers; April 8 at Rangers CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM? The Rangers and Sabres squeezed in their regular-season action last year by the third week of February. which is a bit of a shame, as this rivalry is a favorite of ours and needs more games deep down the stretch of the regular season. Thankfully, the NHL schedule-maker is giving us this year's three games betweeen the Sabres and Rangers at very different points in the season. First, Buffalo takes on the Rangers in their first game of the year. Then, they meet again in the first week of January. And finally, they wrap things up in a game that's the fourth-to-last on the Sabres' schedule. That latter game has the potentil to be a powderkeg game, with both teams possibly fighting it out for a wild card berth. But by then, each team will have worked far past the trade deadlne, so we could be talking about two very different rosters. Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Are Retooling Islanders A Better Team Than Buffalo? [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/4e16358b-828b-4fa5-9edd-8e69673a999a.jpeg] Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Are Retooling Islanders A Better Team Than Buffalo? Welcome back to THN.com's <a href="http://thn.com/buffalo">Buffalo Sabres</a> site. In recent days and weeks, we've been focusing on the teams the Sabres will square off against next season. And in today's file, we're turning our attention to a team Buffalo will be taking on in the latest battl(es) of New York (state) -- the <a href="http://thn.com/nyislanders">New York Islanders</a>. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/know-your-enemy-sabres-metropolitan-edition-are-retooling-islanders-a-better-team-than-buffalo] Regardless, the Sabres will be taking on a Rangers team that said goodbye to longtime cornerstone winger Chris Kreider, as well as veteran defenseman K'Andre Miller. In their place is former L.A. Kings [http://thn.com/la] stalwart Gavrikov and...well, a few depth players in Raddysh, Dowling and Morrow. There shouldn't be any sizeable expectations of those three players, but Gavrikov will definitely be an upgrade defensively on Miller. This Rangers team has essentially doubled down on its core, including star winger Artemi Panarin, blueliner Adam Fox, and goalie Igor Shesterkin. None of those three players had an good year typical of them at the NHL level, but teams and players go through sub-par strethes and rebound from them, and that's what Blueshirts GM Chris Drury is banking on. If things somehow go right for the Sabres and Rangers next season, there's a possibility the teams eventually meet in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Granted, that would take a particular game of plinko from the hockey gods to make happen, but again, the Sabres and Rangers have that built-in relationship that should be developed as much as possible. If the teams aren't going to be in the same division anytime soon -- and that's even if expansion winds up having an effect on the current divisional setup -- then the schedule-maker can continue giving us three games in the season. Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Will Devils Remain Formidable Metro Team -- And Will New Jersey Once Again Beat Sabres In Season Series? [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/68aaba43-6f62-4ce2-b9e8-b6a3d09a0c8c.jpeg] Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Will Devils Remain Formidable Metro Team -- And Will New Jersey Once Again Beat Sabres In Season Series? The Buffalo Sabres are a team that needs to make a playoff appearance this coming season. But in a continuing series, we're examining each of Buffalo's Eastern Conference-rivals that could be in the way of the Sabres making it into the post-season. And in this file, we're examining the rivalry between <a href="http://thn.com/buffalo">the Sabres</a> and <a href="http://thn.com/newjersey">New Jersey Devils</a>. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/know-your-enemy-sabres-metropolitan-edition-will-devils-remain-formidable-metro-team----and-will-new-jersey-once-again-beat-sabres-in-season-series] If Shesterkin in particular can look like his old self, the Rangers should be in the mix for a wild card berth. It's now within the realm of possibility, though, that the Sabres take advantage of their games against the Blueshirts and play a key role in the Rangers missing the post-season for the second straight season. And if that's what happens for the Rangers next year, we can see Drury totally dismantle his core and start with a new group. Between then, we're going to get three games between the Sabres and Rangers. And while there are some Sabres opponents who don't move the needle as playing especially-intriguing games against Buffalo, the Rangers are not one of those teams. And given the tightness of the playoff race in both conferences, the games between the Sabres and Rangers are likely to be highly-entertaining. Who do we like to win those three games? Well, not to be all safe about it, but we see Buffalo -- for the second straight season -- winning two of their three games against the Rangers. It's hard for any team to sweep an opponent given the modern-day parity of the league, but the Sabres have what it takes on paper to beat the Rangers more often than they lose. Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Sabres Could Be Battling Up-And-Coming Blue Jackets For Wild Card Berth [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/04b359b7-bafa-4aff-9baa-94dd2b7b1190.jpeg] Know Your Enemy, Sabres Metropolitan Edition: Sabres Could Be Battling Up-And-Coming Blue Jackets For Wild Card Berth The Buffalo Sabres are one of the teams most desperate to make the Stanley Cup playoffs next season. And one of the teams <a href="http://thn.com/buffalo">the Sabres</a> could be battling for one of the two wild card berths next season is another team desperate to end a prolonged playoff drought -- the <a href="http://thn.com/columbus">Columbus Blue Jackets</a>. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/buffalo-sabres/latest-news/know-your-enemy-sabres-metropolitan-edition-sabres-could-be-battling-up-and-coming-blue-jackets-for-wild-card-berth] We'll see how our prediction lands, but it will nonetheless be intriguing to watch the Sabres/Rangers games this season. They've both got some solid components, but there has to be a desperation to both teams' attack. If not, it will be a long season, and an even longer summer next year, for the team that doesn't get into the post-season.
