The New York Rangers entered the 2024-25 season with big expectations after winning the Presidents’ Trophy but falling short in the Eastern Conference Final. However, they have played poorly for an extended stretch this season and have lost 15 of their last 19 games, including four in a row. Their record is 16-19-1 and they are in last place in the Metropolitan Division.
One of the Rangers’ biggest problems has been disappointing play from their defensemen and they should show faith in homegrown blueliner Zac Jones and insert him back into their lineup. He has been a healthy scratch in the last two games even though he has played fairly well this season and the team has continued to play badly defensively in his absence.
Zac Jones’ Play
After bouncing back and forth between the NHL and the American Hockey League (AHL) for a few seasons, Jones played very well late last season. He stepped up with Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren injured, however, head coach Peter Laviolette opted to play veteran Erik Gustafsson on the third defense pair and make Jones a healthy scratch in the postseason. He finished the regular season with two goals, seven assists, and was plus-1 in 31 games but did not play in any postseason games.
LAF ➡️ ZAC. WE LOVE IT. pic.twitter.com/Ue7W1OAiL7
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 31, 2024
Gustafsson signed with the Detroit Red Wings this offseason and Lindgren began the season on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). Jones earned a spot in the Rangers’ lineup and picked up where he left off in 2023-24. He used his speed effectively and made clean passes out of the defensive zone. At 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, he is one of the team’s smaller defensemen but he used his positioning and quick hands to make plays in the defensive zone.
Though Jones has yet to break out offensively in the NHL, he made some nice plays in the offensive zone and has more offensive upside than most of the Rangers’ defensemen. He briefly got an opportunity on the team’s second power-play unit before Laviolette opted to replace him with K’Andre Miller. He has one goal and seven assists in 26 games and is plus-2.
During the Rangers’ last 19 games, the team has played poorly defensively and when Jones made a few mistakes, he became a healthy scratch. The issue is that there are top-four defensemen on the team who have made far more egregious mistakes but have not had their minutes cut back.
The Rangers’ Issues on Defense
After a decent start to the season, the Rangers’ issues on defense have made it very difficult for them to win games. Lindgren and Miller, who are both top-four defensemen, have not played well this season. They frequently make turnovers or get caught out of position leading to goals for their opponents.
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In the Rangers’ 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers on Dec. 30, Miller reached for a poke check, missed, and allowed his man to skate right around him leading to the winning goal for the Panthers. In a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 15, Lindgren swung and missed at a loose puck, lost his balance, and allowed Jordan Kyrou to get by him and score on a breakaway.
Lindgren and Miller have not been scratched for their mistakes. Lindgren has two goals, four assists, and is minus-3 in 31 games while Miller has two goals, four assists, and is minus-9 in 30 games. The same issue has happened with the forwards as Mika Zibanejad’s defensive mistakes have led to numerous goals but he has yet to be scratched. He has six goals, 15 assists, and is minus-22 in 36 games.
Laviolette has also decided to demote Schneider from the top four in favor of Will Borgen, whom the Rangers recently acquired in exchange for Kaapo Kakko. Borgen had one goal, one assist, and was minus-13 in 33 games with the Seattle Kraken and he had the worst plus/minus on the team. He has played with physicality but has no points and is minus-4 in five games with the Blueshirts.
For the Rangers Moving Forward
Laviolette could send a message to the team by sitting Zibanejad and Miller, two of the team’s key players who have both played poorly this season. The Rangers aren’t one lineup tweak away from playing well defensively but a start would be showing faith in Jones, who has been one of the team’s better defensemen this season, and keeping him in the lineup.
