Open Game Thread: Rangers vs Canucks

The Rangers kick off the post-Ryan McDonagh era with a road trip through Canada, and it begins in Vancouver as the Blueshirts will take on the Canucks. With the playoffs well out of reach, the Blueshirts tore down a sizable portion of their roster, with Nick Holden, Michael Grabner, Rick Nash, J.T. Miller, and the aforementioned McDonagh all being shipped out for future assets. In spite of being 19 points out of a playoff position, Canucks' GM Jim Benning elected to keep his roster largely in tact, as pending UFA Thomas Vanek was the only NHL player shipped out.

With New York's western Canada road trip including visits to Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary, this could be the team's most critical road trip of the season. A cursory glance at the standings will tell you everything you need to know about the importance of the team's next three games:

Enjoy the game, and Let's Go Canucks Rangers!