Exactly four months ago today, the Rangers skated off the ice for the final time during the 2021-22 season. A 2-1 loss in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Tampa Bay Lightning was a disappointing finish to a strong season overall, but it left something for the team to build upon heading into the offseason.
Four months later, the Rangers and Lightning are set to open the 2022-23 campaign against each other at Madison Square Garden. While plenty of familiar faces remain, both teams lost a handful of players that participated in the playoff series between these teams in the spring.