NEW YORK — Chris Drury became the New York Rangers' captain Friday, one night before the club opened the regular season in the Czech Republic.

Drury, who served as co-captain of the Buffalo Sabres with Danny Briere before signing with the Rangers in 2007, got the nod from coach Tom Renney and general manager Glen Sather during a team dinner on Friday night. The Rangers start the new campaign in Prague with a pair of games this weekend against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Drury, raised as a Rangers fan in Connecticut, said he also served as captain in high school, at Boston University, and on his baseball team that reached the Little League World Series.

"To be a captain anywhere in the NHL is a huge honor and a huge thrill," Drury said during a conference call. "To get to do it with the Rangers, the team that I grew up cheering for and going to the Garden as a kid, and now to be a captain it's hard to put into words. It's a huge honor. I'm just thrilled."

The 32-year-old center, entering his 10th NHL season, is the 25th captain in Rangers history.