New York Rangers defenceman takes on major role within the organization following injury news
Photo credit: Daily Faceoff
The New York Rangers are gearing up for the home stretch of the regular season, and defenceman Zac Jones is expected to step-up during a period of turmoil. With Adam Fox sidelined for indefinite amont of time, the time is now for Jones to rise to the occasion.
Although Jones has been a healthy scratch for a big portion of the year, GM Chris Drury has breathed life into Jones' career.
Jones to step-up for Fox
Jones struggled defensively early last season but stepped up and played well when Lindgren and Erik Gustafsson missed time later in the season.
At 5-foot-11 and 190 pounds, he relied on his positioning defensively and showed flashes of offensive skill, finishing with two goals, seven assists, and was plus-1 in 31 games. Despite playing his best down the stretch, head coach Peter Laviolette opted to play Gustafsson over him in the postseason.
Earlier this season, Jones saw limited ice time on the PP, but with Fox now out, Laviolette has given him the nod.
So far, the 2024-25 campaign has been a massive disappointment for the Ranger's blue-line.
Let's get real - Jones is talented, but hasn't been given the opportunity to shine.
Jones has the ability to run the point on the power-play, and the team will be heavily relying on him to get pucks through traffic on net.
While Jones is expected to play a key role for the Rangers down the stretch, Chris Drury, they may consider trading him in the offseason.
Although his future in NYC remains uncertain, the Rangers will need him to fill the void.
If he performs well enough, Jones' might increase his stock enough for Drury to dish out a massive blockbuster deal during the offseason.
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