Zac Jones can sense the chance in entrance of him.
Coming into his fourth season within the Rangers group, the 21-year-old defenseman is staring down a clearer path to a roster spot with the NHL membership than ever earlier than. After veteran Patrik Nemeth was dealt to the Coyotes this offseason, there’s a job up for grabs that's Jones’ to win. He is aware of it, too, and that actually performed a component in his determination to attend rookie camp this week — regardless that the Rangers gave him the choice to not.
“I believe that spot’s open,” Jones mentioned after the primary day of rookie camp Wednesday at MSG Coaching Heart. “It’s going to be a wholesome competitors between a bunch of fellows and I’m excited for it.”
The spot is the sixth defenseman function and his competitors will likely be fellow left-handed blueliners Libor Hajek, Jarred Tinordi and Matthew Robertson. Of the 4 competing for the job, Jones has the third-most NHL expertise (22 video games) behind Tinordi’s 109-game profession and Hajek’s 94 contests over 4 seasons. Robertson has but to make his NHL debut, however his bodily presence makes him an attractive possibility as nicely.
Hajek, who proved to be a professional’s professional final season in a depth function, could be the most secure and most acquainted possibility for Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant — however that additionally means it’s not set in stone. A robust camp from Jones may very well be the distinction between an task again to AHL Hartford or making the Rangers’ opening-night roster.
“You understand, I used to be actually upset I received despatched down firstly of the 12 months,” mentioned Jones, who scored 9 objectives and dished 26 assists in 52 AHL video games for the Wolf Pack final season. “However I used to be actually proud of me being down in Hartford final 12 months. I received to play quite a bit. I received to actually develop. I actually received to be taught the professional sport.
“I believe me being down in Hartford final 12 months for these 50 video games was large for me and my improvement.”
The Rangers’ 68th-overall decide within the 2019 draft was probably the most constant defensemen for Hartford final season, quarterbacking the highest energy play along with enjoying main minutes. He famous that he feels “far more” assured coming into this season after spending some extra time with the Rangers and getting the total AHL expertise as nicely.
Technically, Jones is now not a rookie. The rule states if a participant competes in additional than 25 NHL video games in any previous seasons or in six or extra NHL video games in every of any two previous seasons then he loses his rookie standing. Jones’ 10 video games in 2019-20 and 12 video games in 2020-21 match that invoice.
“I believe it’s extra simply getting myself unfastened, preparing for essential camp,” Jones mentioned when requested what this week will likely be about for him. “Clearly, performed right here final 12 months, so that they’ve seen me. I actually wanted to come back out right here and show myself, attempt to be a pacesetter out right here. Simply sort of taking the youthful guys which might be of their first camp and attempt to assist them out. That’s my largest factor is making an attempt to be a pacesetter.”
Jones made some extent to say he spent a great portion of the summer season within the gymnasium, the place he was capable of achieve about 10 kilos and are available in to camp round 180. Although his ice imaginative and prescient and robust capability to be misleading has at all times helped outweigh no matter issues there have been about his measurement. Nonetheless, it was an space Jones sought to deal with.
“Final 12 months, I used to be fairly gentle,” he mentioned. “I received pushed round quite a bit and I took that into consideration this summer season. I actually tried to work on my energy, tried to get within the gymnasium as a lot as potential. That was my largest focus.”
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