Rangers Victor Mancini's Debut Successful, earns the team's "Broadway Hat"

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Joshua Deeds
October 10, 2024 (4:49 PM)

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The New York Rangers had a successful opening night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, as they shut out Sidney Crosby and company.

The Rangers also had a player make his NHL debut against the Penguins' last night, that being defenseman Victor Mancini. Mancini and the Rangers convincingly shut out Sid the Adult, 6-0.

Amid the shut-out on the Penguins home ice, Mancini impressed by keeping his game reliable and that's what the team needs to count on.

Mancini logged 17:27 of TOI and wasn't on ice during any of the Rangers' six goals against their Metropolitan Division rivals.

His performance was notable in many ways that night, as Mancini was a fifth-round draft pick, selected 159th overall in 2022. If we go by the stats from NHL Edge, Mancini skated 18 to 20 miles per hour, in five bursts of speed, and took one shot on goal which was 72 MPH according to NHL Edge.

Mancini also logged 16:46 of 5v5 time, and 41 second on the Penalty Kill, while skating a total of 20 shifts that night.

His debut was a positive performance, despite some foul-ups but that is to be expected with rookies. He had family who made the trip from Michigan to catch his NHL debut.

«I'll be at a little bit of a loss for words, I think,» Mancini explained on Monday. «It'll be very special to share that with my family as well, whenever that first game might be. It's going to be really special because I owe a lot to my parents and my family. To share that moment with them will be the most fun part for me.»

Mancini's Impressive Debut

Mancini was able to slot into the lineup thanks to the hole left by Ryan Lindgren's injury which has left the Rangers short-handed. While Lindgren has resumed skating, the rookie outshone Ben Harpur, and Matthew Robertson during training camp.

Mancini's frame lends well to his two-way playing ability, at 6'3" and 229 pounds, he is a great skater and can start the breakout with ease.

The rookie joins only Marc Staal(2009) and K'Andre Miller(2021) who had their NHL debuts on opening night.

He may have only played 7 games in the AHL with the Hartford Wolfpack, but he has made the NHL transition seamlessly.

He was on the top-four pairings in Hartford lending a hand during the team's Calder Cup playoff run. With the University of Nebraska-Omaha, Mancini played 110 games, scoring 23 points(4 G, 19 A).

Mancini will get to continue his run in the NHL against the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

Mancini spent parts of 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 during his high school years, so he could develop in Sweden instead of going the USDP route. Has it paid off instead of going through conventional means?

Well it looks like.