Zac Jones' time with the New York Rangers looked to be coming to an end two weeks ago. He'd sat for most of the season, gathering dust in the press box, but he was suddenly called into action when Urho Vaakaneinen got sick. He delivered a couple of promising performances. Now, with Adam Fox and K'Andre Miller dealing with issues, Jones will be pressed into service once more for the Blueshirts, and this is a chance to put himself in the shop window.
Jones was permitted to seek a trade back in December, but no one was willing to bite due to his lack of size. To remain in game shape, Jones has since had a conditioning stint with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League. The lack of playing time is never enjoyable for professional players, and it's not beneficial for the development of one of the Rangers' youngest defensemen.
Now, the two most naturally gifted puck movers on the New York Rangers roster are out. K'Andre Miller and Adam Fox will be on the shelf for a few games. It will allow Jones to show the world how capable he is offensively. He's going to be expected to take a lot of the minutes in the offensive zone those two would have to create from the blue line for the Rangers' forward core, and if he can do that, he'll make himself much more desirable ahead of the trade deadline.
Jones won't get a shot on the top powerplay unit for now, but that might change if the current five-forward format fails. That second powerplay unit with the likes of Reilly Smith, Will Cuylle, and Arthur Kaliyev may hold the chance for Jones to work his way to the top unit if he can be accurate and quick with his puck movement. He needs to sure up his turnovers and find some confidence in his puck movement at 5-on-5, but the Rangers can put him in the shop window to increase his value before the trade deadline.