LD Zac Jones - UMass (Amherst), NCAA (2019, 68th, NYR)

[Kaners PPGs]

Drury needs to do whatever he can to get rid of Nemeth. Nemeth has been bad in the playoffs and we need the cap space. I have no idea why Drury gave him a 3 year deal at that cap hit, and a limited NTC on top of it. Who was he bidding against?

Probably Vancouver

 

[Oak]

This is an under-appreciated factor.

Don't want to derail the Jones thread with Fox/Makar--but look at Makar with/without Toews.

Eight games without--2g/4a
Seven games with--7g/4a

Even the best D-men benefit from strong complementary partners.

Offensive D need baby sitters. Nice seeing the stats.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He’s expected to be 3LHD this season, but he should’ve been that last season, so it’s wait and see with Gallant.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I'm gonna facepalm if Libor Hajek gets a spot over him.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I'm gonna facepalm if Libor Hajek gets a spot over him.

There's a good chance they'll both make the team as the 3LHD and the 7D. But Rangers fans are rooting for Jones to take the coveted lineup spot.

 

[brakeyawself]

There's a good chance they'll both make the team as the 3LHD and the 7D. But Rangers fans are rooting for Jones to take the coveted lineup spot.

More than that, I'm hoping he takes over the PP2 full time by midseason. If Schneider, Trouba or Miller want any PP time. they'll soon enough have to do it as second defenders, snipers, net front or something. 3rd line and PP2 minutes would be perfect.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

More than that, I'm hoping he takes over the PP2 full time by midseason. If Schneider, Trouba or Miller want any PP time. they'll soon enough have to do it as second defenders, snipers, net front or something. 3rd line and PP2 minutes would be perfect.

Such a joke that Trouba is on PP2 instead. Are we trying to score goals or cater to the favorite veterans of the coach?

 

[QJL]

Such a joke that Trouba is on PP2 instead. Are we trying to score goals or cater to the favorite veterans of the coach?

I’ll take Trouba over Jones right now easily. Yeah, Jones certainly has a future as a PP QB, but Trouba was almost as productive as Fox last year at ES, has the second hardest shot on the team after Zib, and will be a safety net for a bunch of kids exploring their creativity with a man up. He’s a fine choice as a PP2 gunslinger.

 

[FlyguyOX]

I’ll take Trouba over Jones right now easily. Yeah, Jones certainly has a future as a PP QB, but Trouba was almost as productive as Fox last year at ES, has the second hardest shot on the team after Zib, and will be a safety net for a bunch of kids exploring their creativity with a man up. He’s a fine choice as a PP2 gunslinger.

If you want a safety net with offensive upside then just use K'Andre Miller, not Trouba. They're just trying to find minutes for him to justify giving him the C.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

If you want a safety net with offensive upside then just use K'Andre Miller, not Trouba. They're just trying to find minutes for him to justify giving him the C.

Miller isn’t a PP guy either. He has bad hands and lacks the vision you want of a player playing on the perimeter of a PP.

It should 100% be Jones. It’s night and day between him and those other guys.

 

[QJL]

If you want a safety net with offensive upside then just use K'Andre Miller, not Trouba. They're just trying to find minutes for him to justify giving him the C.

Jones is a good option.

Trouba is a good option.

Miller is the best option but we need him on the ice elsewhere. He’s fantastic 5v5 where this team struggles. I imagine he’ll get close to 25/game without seeing the power play.

 

[bl02]

Terrific game so far tonight. What a relief to see a kid who can actually skate with great IQ and not another Nemeth.

 

[FlyguyOX]

Terrific game so far tonight. What a relief to see a kid who can actually skate with great IQ and not another Nemeth.

Agree. He really settled any (unfounded) concerned about his ability to defend with countless 1on1 plays in the boards and open ice. He had a nasty seam pass when he activated one in the O-zone, too. When he gets confident out there he’s going to be very good. You could tell he was playing conservative to not mess up and get his ice time pulled.

 

[emptyNedder]

I have liked Jones since his USHL days. His skating isn't amazing, but at lower levels his IQ allowed him to be headed in the correct direction a split second before others, so he looked fast. I agree that if he can get comfortable in the NHL, he will be a high-end 3rd/solid 2nd pairing Dman.

Never a NYR fan, but I am really impressed with the D moving forward. Miller has the potential to be a top-20 defender, while Schneider and Jones could develop into a really good young pairing.

 

[ElLeetch]

Schneider and Jones as our 3rd pair easily gives us a top-5 D-core in the league. There are few teams who can match up.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Schneider and Jones as our 3rd pair easily gives us a top-5 D-core in the league. There are few teams who can match up.

This is our best D Corp since I've been watching (00-01), and probably before that. Jones or Schneider as your #6 D-men is ridiculous and our top 4 is incredibly strong.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I hate the dinosaur Gallant.

Jones has one weak game, and he takes him out of the lineup for the turnstile Hajek.

He has a complete cave man mentality. Schneider was every bit as bad, but I almost guarantee this coach would make excuses for him because he’s 6’2.

 

[Lavar Ball]

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He’s been a capable third pair defenseman so far. This was his best game. He now has 2 points in 6 games.

He’s been paired with Schneider, whose been the worst of our the regular 6 defensemen, so not an easy task for a rookie like Jones. They switched the pairings around midway through this game and then Jones picks up two points. He was put with the turnstile Trouba, so not much better, but a different look to it.

Jones adds some much needed puck moving to our defense, he does pretty well on the PP but the second unit barely gets any time, and his defending isn’t bad. He can get beat sometimes, but he’s a rookie and not the biggest or fastest. He’s not Fox, but who is? Jones is not in the top 3-4 of underperforming defensemen, so far from the problem with the defense. He’s holding up at a high enough rate that he’s not a defensive liability and the rest of his game can take over.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Somehow has been scratched 7 games so far. Dinosaur coach. Supposed to be back in today, at least.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Rangers are being led by idiots. Jones has been okay for a rookie, but they scratch him every few games because they don't want Hajek (the worst player on the team) to sit too many games in a row. Jones can't get into a rhythm because of it. Hajek plays his best game of the season last night and probably the only good game he'll play all season, and they take their chance to send Jones down, as the dinosaurs Drury and Gallant surely have been looking for an opportunity to do so because their instincts are negative and regressive hockey.



Proof.

 

[FlyguyOX]

Rangers are being led by idiots. Jones has been okay for a rookie, but they scratch him every few games because they don't want Hajek (the worst player on the team) to sit too many games in a row. Jones can't get into a rhythm because of it. Hajek plays his best game of the season last night and probably the only good game he'll play all season, and they take their chance to send Jones down, as the dinosaurs Drury and Gallant surely have been looking for an opportunity to do so because their instincts are negative and regressive hockey.



Proof.

And I thought Jones was finally looking a little comfortable out there. Gellant needs to be fired already.

 

[Lavar Ball]

Nice helper

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Playing great hockey of late. Has been pretty good all season when he’s gotten into the lineup. His puck moving and decision making with the puck is second only to Fox for the defense.

I don’t think you’ll find many Rangers fans that don’t want him in the lineup for the playoffs. He probably won’t be because the other 6 are “veterans” and we all know how that works, but Jones has more than solidified that he should be a regular NHL defenseman.

He probably would on almost every team in the league by now and might be top 4 on some. The team realizes this and that’s why he wasn’t ever put on waivers.

Hopefully how well he’s played this season gets the organization to trust him with a top 6 spot to start next season.