VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Zac Jones has stumbled a number of occasions in his pursuit of turning into an NHL common, whether or not it’s his personal doing or the obstacles which have been put in entrance of him.
The 200-foot play he single-handedly generated to offer the Rangers some insurance coverage final recreation, nevertheless, is only a testomony to the drive and perseverance Jones has needed to play with each single day since he broke into the league three years in the past.
Sunday was Jones’ eleventh look of the season and sixth in a row, after head coach Peter Laviolette opted to stay with rookie Victor Mancini when Ryan Lindgren returned from damage on the finish of October.
It relegated Jones again to the press field — the place he’s spent a majority of his Rangers tenure — for 5 of six contests after his four-game run to begin the season.
This all after he lastly secured his spot within the lineup out of coaching camp for the primary time, which was made doable by the Rangers’ resolution to not herald a brand new defenseman within the offseason.
“It sucked,” Jones advised The Publish after the Rangers practiced Monday at Rogers Area, forward of their matchup with the Canucks on Tuesday. “Clearly, you wish to play, you don’t wish to be out of the lineup, however I attempted to take it extra as a reset this yr. Final yr, I really feel like I form of would’ve taken it extra personally. Why is he doing this? What’s the reasoning? Simply serious about it an excessive amount of.
“Whereas this year, I was kind of like, ‘Alright, let’s relax a little bit.’ Reset the mind, the body and just get ready to go whenever that next opportunity is and make it so he can’t take you out of the lineup.”
That’s precisely what Jones has performed since reentering the Rangers lineup earlier this month.
It culminated in a dominant efficiency Sunday evening, when he scored his first purpose of the season on an end-to-end play that noticed Jones lower by means of the Kraken as if he had been Davy Jones himself to create a three-on-two zone entry.
Jones and his puck-moving talents have helped the Blueshirts clear up their breakouts and transition up ice — a facet of their recreation that wanted tending up till a pair video games in the past.
His pairing with Braden Schneider has been fairly lockdown, not solely upholding their defensive tasks, but in addition contributing on the offensive facet of the puck, as properly.
Of their final six video games collectively, in response to Pure Stat Trick, Jones and Schneider have been on the ice for seven Rangers targets and only one towards.
The Rangers have out-attempted opponents 42-36 and held a 19-9 benefit in high-danger possibilities with these two on the ice.
“We were effective at getting the puck out and quickly moving the puck through the neutral zone,” Laviolette stated. “I think that’s an important part of playing the game, advancing zones and playing fast. [Jones] is a guy who does like to skate with the puck. The messaging is kind of the same for everybody, but I do think that is one of his strengths, is his skating and puck mobility.”
Given how the beginning of the season has gone, it wouldn’t be stunning if the Rangers focused a defenseman on the commerce deadline.
That might simply be one other problem thrown Jones’ means on his journey towards turning into a lineup staple.
There’s no query, nevertheless, that Jones has stayed the course irrespective of the circumstances.
“From being in this role the last couple years, it definitely made it easier,” Jones stated. “Clearly, final yr, being a scratch for many of the yr, it simply gave me a brand new perspective on issues. Issues aren’t at all times going to go your means. You simply bought to remain prepared it doesn’t matter what it’s.
“That was tough for me last year, but I think going through it definitely helped and will help the future player [I become].”
