NY Rangers defenseman making his case for a spot with the big club

Zac Jones hasn’t enjoyed a full-time spot on the NY Rangers since he first took the ice for them in the 2020-21 season. That year, he saw action in 10 games and finished with four points before the following season saw Jones appear in 12 games, but he regressed and ended his stint with just two points. 

When 2022-23 rolled around, Jones got another 16 games with New York and scored his first career goal, but once again, he ended with two points and hardly more ice time than what he’d gotten the previous season. Jones got a longer look last year with 31 games, but he finished with two goals, nine points, and an average time on ice of just 14:38. 

But with the uptick in games played and production, it became apparent the 2024 training camp would be a potential breakthrough for Jones. And in last night’s 6-4 win over the New York Islanders, Jones once again showed up and enjoyed an impeccable performance. 

Zac Jones playing his way into a full-time role with the NY Rangers

Quite a bit went wrong for the Blueshirts last night, but we also saw some good things, one of which was Jones’ big game. Yeah, it’s only preseason, but this is where players like Jones need to step up, prove themselves, and show the coaching staff and team executives why they deserve a spot with the big club. 

Jones did that last night, finishing with three points, two goals, and a plus-1 rating. He also recorded just two shots on net, meaning they both found twine. No, they didn’t play the best version of the Islanders, but their cross-town rivals still brought some talent with them that included players like Mathew Barzal, Noah Dobson, Bo Horvat, and Anthony Duclair, to list a few of them. 

So it was still a good test for Jones, and if he puts up another game or two like this one, you will see him playing for the Blueshirts full-time in 2024-25. It’s apparent the Rangers have been giving him a longer look over the past few seasons, so many of us thought he’d be in town unless he struggled in camp and in the preseason. 

Sure, that could still happen and Jones could once again find himself with the big club part-time. But if we’re going by anything to judge last night, look for him to be on that opening day roster and beyond.