A report from Zac Jones is a bit difficult to judge, because he was a part -time player who still managed to play more than half the season. Jones played 46 games for the Rangers last year, by far his career height of 31 the year before. Starting the season as the 6D of the Rangers, Jones was in fact forced from the line as soon as Ryan Lindgren returned from an injury, only to return to the line -up after all the regular seasonal drama. He seemed like a man who was on the CUSP, but just couldn’t get that break.
Jones used career heights in Assists (10) and points (11) in those 46 games, despite getting third few minutes and not PowerPlay time. With Jones it is easy to say that the rangers have never given him an honest shake, but in all honesty it is difficult to get started if you are constantly in and out of the line -up. Jones did The majority of his ice age Last season with Braaden Schneider, which dedicates somewhat decent figures as a defense couple.
What is interesting in Jones’s figures, especially with Schneider, is that Jones’s ownership numbers have improved without Schneider. What is even more interesting is that Jones’ second most likely was with Victor Mancini, because the couple started the season together. Jones wore Mancini around the ice, with Mancini with a shot share of 27% when he was away from Jones. They were not perfect and Mancini showed improvement while he played, but the ability of Jones to keep Mancini is modest here.
It is a lot to say that Jones Schneider also wore, but his own number was better without Schneider. Although that becomes a relatively small monster, we play with fire. Just eat to think.
The problem is not with the ownership numbers, it is with the microsstates of Jones. I wrote in May that the Rangers would regret the actions of Jones, and they will probably regret that they will let him walk even more for nothing. Jones excelled in all areas that struggled the Rangers: zone outputs, solar -defense, zone posts and generating overall attack. He was not defensive, but that is why you have put him a Schneider or another defensively healthy defender.
There is another universe where Lindgren was not brought back into the line -up and the Rangers allowed the first six games to continue to cook. (This is not on Lindgren, it is on Peter Laviolette because he does not recognize that Lindgren could no longer shake it as a 1LD anymore, nor should he be hurried back.) Perhaps the rangers in this universe actually have a puckmover on the blue line and start to find a better offensive rhythm on 5V5. Instead, they received chaos and drama. Jones was just a victim of that drama.
Will Jones become a top pair defender with Buffalo? Probably not. But will he be a usable depth defender? Chances are he will be. All this while the Rangers are constantly looking for real defense depth. It’s really a shame, really.
Jones did everything the Rangers was asked. He never fully compiled it, but the figures suggest that he was far from the reason for the terrible defense last year. Jones was not the issue, but he was just ancillary damage when the Rangers rebuilt their blue line. Whether it could be seen the better remains.
Zac Jones Report Card Grade: B-
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