Rangers coach tells Zac Jones to ‘keep doing your thing’ after defenseman scratched: report
It wasn’t anything Zac Jones did or didn’t do in the first four games of the season that landed him in the press box Saturday when the New York Rangers defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1. And when Jones returns to the lineup, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette told the defenseman to “keep doing your thing.”
“Conversations I’ve had with Zac are just keep working hard and when you get back in there just keep doing your thing,” Laviolette told Mollie Walker of the New York Post following practice Monday.
Jones was a healthy scratch against the Maple Leafs so that veteran Chad Ruhwedel could play his first game of the season. Ruhwedel responded with a solid showing on the third pair with rookie Victor Mancini, tying for the team lead with four blocked shots and finishing with a plus-two rating.
“It was about getting ‘Rudy’ out there and getting him an opportunity to play, as well,” Laviolette explained. “He’s been waiting and working hard every day. I would’ve been perfectly fine rolling back the same lineup, but we made some decisions and those decisions are going to continue to have to be made.”
Jones and Ruhwedel will be healthy scratches Tuesday when the Rangers visit the Montreal Canadiens because Ryan Lindgren is back in the lineup. After missing five games with an upper-body injury sustained in a preseason fight with Scott Mayfield of the Islanders, Lindgren will skate on the third pair with Mancini.
The Rangers now have a big decision to make. There’s no reason to carry two extra defenseman, so one will be removed from the roster, likely before a home game Thursday against the Florida Panthers.
Ruhwedel is a fine fit as the extra defenseman, a 34-year-old with a Stanley Cup ring who can capably step in when needed. And it seems Mancini will be the odd man out because he’s the only Rangers defenseman who does not need to pass through waivers in order to be assigned to Hartford in the American Hockey League.
So, the game Tuesday might be Mancini’s final audition.
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Rangers coach facing ‘decisions that are tough’ with defense corps
So, that logic means Jones should be a fixture on the third pair after Lindgren is back, even if not on Tuesday. An apprentice the past few seasons. Jones was virtually unchallenged in training camp to join the starting six. Mancini had a great camp, but made the team because of Lindgren’s injury in a preseason game against the Islanders.
The 24-year-old has one assist and is a plus-four averaging 15:45 TOI in four games this season. In 2023-24, Jones caught Laviolette’s attention by playing solid hockey over 31 games due to injuries to regulars Adam Fox, Jacob Trouba, Erik Gustafsson and Lindgren. When Gustafsson signed with the Detroit Red Wings on July 1, his spot was filled internally by Jones.
So, that the consecutive healthy scratches are not punishment for Jones.
“We’re going to have decisions that are tough. I’m perfectly fine playing anybody, but we got decisions that we have to make,” Laviolette explained.
Things are getting interesting for Jones and Co. But all should be resolved shortly.
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