The New York Rangers haven’t made any huge adjustments this offseason however they are going to probably be making a change on protection with Zac Jones changing Erik Gustafsson, who signed with the Detroit Purple Wings on July 1. The 23-year-old blueliner has offensive upside and performed properly late within the 2023-24 common season. He might grow to be an X-factor for the Blueshirts this season.
Jones’ Play With the Rangers
The Rangers drafted Jones within the third spherical of the 2019 NHL Draft and he went on to play two seasons of faculty hockey for UMass-Amherst. He proved to be a formidable playmaker and confirmed off an correct wrist shot which made him a weapon on the ability play. He completed with three objectives and 20 assists in 32 video games in 2019-20 after which had 9 objectives and 15 assists in 2020-21. He helped lead his crew to their first NCAA Championship in 2020-21.
Jones made his skilled debut with the Rangers late within the 2020-21 season and had 4 assists in 10 video games. His skating was spectacular however he made a number of defensive errors. He then spent most of 2021-22 with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League and completed with 9 objectives and 26 assists in 52 video games. He additionally had two assists in 12 video games with the Rangers.
In 2022-23, Jones acquired one other shot with the Rangers however he struggled defensively and didn’t produce sufficient offensively to make up for the defensive points, ending with one objective and one help in 16 video games. He as soon as once more carried out properly with the Wolf Pack and had eight objectives and 23 assists in 54 video games.
Final season, Jones spent your entire season within the NHL however was often a wholesome scratch. Accidents to Gustafsson, Jacob Trouba, and Ryan Lindgren gave him a chance for constant enjoying time late within the common season and he performed very properly.
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Jones created loads of scoring probabilities, used his positioning and skating capacity to defend properly, and confirmed poise with and with out the puck. He completed with two objectives and 7 assists in 31 video games and made an actual push to remain within the lineup as soon as his injured teammates returned; nonetheless, head coach Peter Laviolette opted to play the veteran blueliners as an alternative of him within the postseason.
Jones’ Function on the Rangers This Season
The Rangers have among the best defensemen within the NHL in Adam Fox however they don’t have loads of different blueliners who can create offensively. Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider have by no means completed with greater than 19 factors in a season. Trouba struggled and completed with 22 factors final season and Ok’Andre Miller completed with 30 factors final season. Gustafsson had 31 factors.
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Jones will probably play on the Rangers’ third pair and second power-play unit. He’s a fast skater and he has produced offensively for UMass-Amherst and the Wolf Pack; now he may have a chance to do the identical within the NHL. With Gustafsson gone, he can play on the second power-play unit and look to make use of his offensive instincts to create probabilities at even energy.
Moreover, the Rangers shouldn’t have loads of velocity on their blue line so Jones’ skating capacity makes him a welcome addition to the lineup. He’s smaller than most of their defensemen at 5-foot-11 and 185 kilos however he proved late final season he might be efficient defensively within the NHL. Now he has to show that he can defend properly constantly.
Jones Has Likelihood to Cement Himself Shifting Ahead
Final season Jones performed properly sufficient to earn a spot within the lineup for the postseason however he was by no means given the chance to take action. Now, with Gustafsson off the crew, the younger blueliner has the prospect to cement himself within the lineup. His offensive ability, mixed along with his improved defensive play, might assist him grow to be a difference-maker for the Rangers this season.
