Game #1: New York Rangers vs Buffalo Sabres Open Thread

The moment has finally arrived.

After a long offseason in the wake of an early playoff exit, a summer that saw established veterans come to Broadway with championships in mind, and and half a dozen exhibition contests that managed to produce some surprises en route to the current roster, opening night for the Rangers is here.

Peter Laviolette will coach his first game as the bench boss as a team he spent a portion of his NHL playing career with. Four offseason additions will be making their Rangers’ debut tonight. All of that and more is set to happen against a Buffalo Sabres team looking to build on its best season in over decade, a 91 point effort that was their best since a 96 point campaign in 2010-11.

Player to Watch: Blake Wheeler

Of the players to make their way to New York via free agency, Wheeler was the name that grabbed the most headlines upon arrival. The former captain of the Winnipeg Jets, Wheeler was bought out after 13 seasons with the Jets franchise dating back to its time as the Atlanta Thrashers. The 55 points Wheeler produced last season was a down year by his standards, so he’ll look to bounce back with the Rangers after signing a one year deal. Keep an eye on Wheeler as he skates for the Rangers for the first time.

Enjoy the game!