Pittsburgh prepares for rival Rangers in Round 1

Earlier this season, the Pittsburgh Penguins shocked the hockey world dealing star defenseman Ryan McDonagh to a divisional rival. Now, they will start round 1 of the playoffs against a familiar face, and other stars in what should be a hotly contested series.

The Penguins will unfortunately be without the centerpiece they acquired in that McDonagh trade, as Cam Fowler remains on the shelf for likely the remainder of the season with a knee injury.  The other important piece in that trade, Bo Horvat will be keen to prove to his former club that they gave up on him far too soon.

The Rangers boast a star-laden club including Steven Stamkos, James Neal, Ben Bishop, and Derek Stepan. The Pens counter with Jamie Benn, Wayne Simmonds, and standout rover Kris Letang.

It's anyone's guess who wins this series. The only thing we know for sure, is that these two teams loathe each other. GM Fargas was seen recently burning a Rangers jersey at a campfire with fellow GM Eric Wolf.

More to come as this series unfolds.