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The New York Rangers open their 2023-24 NHL season on the road against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night at 7 p.m. ET.
The Rangers are coming off a first-round playoff exit last season but are bringing back a very similar roster. Buffalo, meanwhile, missed the playoffs once again but has a lot of promise entering the new season.
The game goes down at 7 p.m. ET at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. It can be seen on ESPN+ in the States and Sportsnet One in Canada.
New York Rangers preview
The New York Rangers were busy in the off-season, but it was more with minor moves. New York brought in the likes of Blake Wheeler, Nick Bonino, Riley Nash, and backup goaltender Jonathan Quick.
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The Rangers are still led by goalie Igor Shesterkin who is one of, if not the best goalie in the league. New York still has key players in Adam Fox, Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Jacob Trouba.
Buffalo Sabres preview
The Buffalo Sabres have the longest playoff drought in the NHL, but that could end this season.
The Sabres have a good young core that's only getting better and finally has a goalie in Devon Levi who looks poised to be a solid starting goalie in the NHL.
Buffalo has most of their core locked in long-term and also signed Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power to extensions this past week. The Sabres are -120 to make the playoffs this season.
New York Rangers lines
Forwards
- Kreider-Zibanejad-Kakko
- Panarin-Chytil-Lafreniere
- Cuylle-Trochek-Wheeler
- Goodrow-Bonino-Pitlick
Defensemen
- Lindgren-Fox
- Miller-Trouba
- Gustafsson-Schneider
Goalies
- Shesterkin
- Quick
Buffalo Sabres lines
Forwards
- Skinner-Thompson-Tuch
- Peterka-Cozens-Olofsson
- Greenway-Mittelstadt-Benson
- Girgensons-Krebs-Okopso
Defensemen
- Samuelsson-Dahlin
- Power-Jokiharju
- Clifton-Johnson
Goalies
- Levi
- Comrie
Rangers & Sabres Odds & Predictions
The Rangers are -125 favorites on the road over the Sabres, who're +105. The over/under is set at 6.5.
This should be a great game, but the Rangers should get a win. Although Levi has a lot of promise, he faces a great Rangers offense, while New York plays well defensively and can keep the puck out of their own net.
The Rangers should get a goal early and hold on to their lead to get the win.
Prediction: Rangers 3-1 Sabres
