The Sabres mostly had the Rangers’ number last season, winning two of the three meetings. This time around, though, Buffalo is looking at a very different New York team.
The first of the three regular-season matchups is set for November 25 in Buffalo, followed by a February 15 game at the Rangers and a March 6 rematch back in Buffalo. If the Sabres are going to keep their edge in the season series, it won’t come as easily as it did a year ago.
New York’s roster has been reshaped, and by THN.com’s standards, the Rangers had one of the stronger offseasons in the league. General manager Chris Drury is under heavy pressure to get the team back into the playoffs after two straight disappointing years, and he responded by retooling rather than tearing everything down.
A major part of that overhaul came on defense. Drury added Pettersson from the Vancouver Canucks and brought in Durzi from Utah in the trade that sent veteran center Vincent Trocheck to the Mammoth. The Rangers also added former Vegas Golden Knights sniper Dorofeyev, giving the group a different look going into 2026-27.
That upgraded blue line should help Igor Shesterkin, who remains the key piece in net. But if Shesterkin misses time, Buffalo would do well to pounce. The Rangers’ new backup is Korpisalo, a veteran who has spent time with the Bruins and Senators.
Even with the changes, New York still has a long way to go. Drury needs internal growth and young players stepping into bigger roles, and ownership has clearly chosen a retool over a rebuild. That might be a gamble the Rangers regret later, but for now it makes them a more difficult matchup for Buffalo.
The Sabres are still expected to win the season series, but it should take more than last year’s effort to do it. Buffalo will need to bring a steadier, more complete game if it wants to keep the Rangers on the outside looking in again.
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