New York Rangers player preview: D Jarred Tinordi

On the first day of NHL free agency, the New York Rangers quietly signed defenseman Jarred Tinordi to a two-year, $1.8 million deal. It will carry an average annual value (AAV) of $900,000. Although this isn’t the most glorious of signings, Tinordi is still a nice addition and will provide solid defensive depth for the Rangers moving forward.

Tinordi has spent a great deal of his professional career playing in the AHL. This was certainly not what the Montreal Canadiens expected when they drafted him in the first-round back in 2010. However, during the 2019-20 season with the Nashville Predators, he fought his way back to the NHL and seems to have cemented himself a spot in the league. This accomplishment alone warrants a great deal of respect.

During this past season, Tinordi would end up being waived by the Predators. Yet, the Boston Bruins quickly claimed him, as they were in need of help on the left side of their defensive group. With them, he became their seventh defenseman and played the role quite well. In 21 games between these two teams, the 29-year-old defenseman would record one assist. He also played four postseason games for the Bruins, but failed to get on the scoresheet.

What will be Tinordi’s role with the Rangers?

When looking at the Rangers’ backend, it is pretty clear that Tinordi will once again be a seventh defenseman. With the addition of fellow left-handed defenseman Patrik Nemeth, Tinordi will not be joining their top-six on a permanent basis. He obviously will not be taking a job away from defensemen Ryan Lindgren or K’Andre Miller, either. Yet, with how often injuries occur, having a player like Tinordi is certainly not a bad thing.

In fact, over a full 82-game schedule, Tinordi should still get into a fair share of games. When inserted into the lineup, he also should be utilized on the penalty kill. He is an old-fashioned defensive defenseman who is quite dependable in his own zone.

With the Predators this past season, he led them in shorthanded time on ice at 2:43 minutes. Although he did not play regularly with them, he was a huge part of their penalty kill when he did.

Tinordi brings more toughness to the Rangers.

When looking at what the Rangers have done this off-season, it is clear that they are prioritizing getting tougher. This was made apparent by the Ryan Reaves trade, but Tinordi also is going to help with this. Tinordi is a 6’6″, 205 pound defenseman who does not shy away from the physical side of the game in the slightest. In fact, he embraces it immensely, and it has become a significant part of his identity in the league.

Like Reaves, Tinordi also has a history with Rangers’ number one enemy, Tom Wilson. After Wilson threw a dirty hit on Bruins’ defenseman Brandon Carlo this past season, Tinordi fought him and did a great job in the process. It is always a bonus having a player who will stand up for his teammates. This is something that should make Rangers’ fans love him immediately.

Ultimately, Tinordi is a heart-and-soul player who may not be a star, but he will continuously play with an abundance of effort. Depth is such an integral part of building a competitive hockey team. Adding Tinordi will certainly help strengthen their own.

Alas, it will be fun to see how he performs these next two seasons with the team.