The New York Rangers entered the 2024-25 season with high expectations after winning the Presidents Trophy, but fell in the Eastern Conference Finals. However, they have struggled for long periods of time this season, losing 15 of their past 19 games, including four consecutive defeats. Their record is 16-19-1, ranking last in the metropolitan area.
One of the biggest issues for the Rangers has been disappointing performance from the defense, and they should show faith in homegrown blueliner Zach Jones and reintroduce him into the lineup. While he's been pretty good this season and the team's defense has been poor in his absence, he's been healthy the past two games.
Zach jones drama
After bouncing back and forth between the NHL and the American Hockey League (AHL) for several seasons, Jones was having a really good season late last season. He stepped up with injuries to Jacob Trouba and Ryan Lindgren, however, head coach Peter Laviolette opted to use veteran E. Erik Gustafsson served as the third defensive pairing to keep Jones healthy through the playoffs. He ended the regular season with 2 goals, 7 assists, and a plus-1 point in 31 games, but did not participate in any playoff games.
LAF➡️ZAC. We love it. pic.twitter.com/Ue7W1OAiL7
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) March 31, 2024
Gustafsson signed with the Detroit Red Wings in the offseason, and Lindgren began the season on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). Jones earned a spot in the Rangers lineup and takes over in the 2023-24 season. He uses his speed effectively to deliver clean passes out of the defensive zone. At 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, he is one of the smaller defensemen on the team, but he uses his positioning and quick hands to make plays in the defensive zone.
While Jones hasn't exploded offensively in the NHL yet, he's made some nice plays in the offensive zone and has more offensive upside than most of the Rangers' defensemen. He briefly got a chance to man the team's second unit before Laviolette elected to replace him with K'Andre Miller. He scored 1 goal and 7 assists in 26 games, with a +2 record.
The Rangers' defense has been poor over the past 19 games, and when Jones made some mistakes, he turned into a healthy player. The problem is that some of the team's top four defensemen are making more egregious mistakes while not seeing less playing time.
Rangers' defensive issues
After a promising start to the season, the Rangers' defensive issues have made it difficult for them to win games. Lindgren and Miller are both in the top four defenders and have not performed well this season. They often make turnovers or get out of position, resulting in opponents scoring.
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On Dec. 30, during the Rangers' 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers, Miller reached for the ball but missed, allowing his defender to slide past him for the Panthers. Score the winning goal. On Dec. 15, in a 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues, Lindgren swung his stick and hit a loose puck, losing his balance and allowing Jordan Kyrou to pass Got him and scored on the breakaway.
Lindgren and Miller were not punished for their mistakes. Lindgren has two goals, four assists and three points in 31 games, while Miller has two goals, four assists and nine points in 30 games. The same issue is happening up front, with Mika Zibanejad's defensive errors leading to numerous goals but he has yet to be scratched. He had six goals and 15 assists in 36 games with a 22-loss record.
Laviolette also decided to demote Schneider from the top four in favor of Will Bogen, whom the Rangers recently traded for Kapo Kakko. Bogan had one goal and one assist in 33 games for the Seattle Kraken, with a minus-13 record, the team's worst plus-minus. He's very physical but has no points and a minus-4 rating in five games with the Blueshirts.
Forward for Rangers
Laviolette can send a message to the team through Zibanejad and Miller, two key players on the team who have struggled this season. The Rangers' roster changes don't necessarily require a stellar performance on defense, but it's important to show confidence in Jones, one of the team's best defensemen this season, from the get-go and keep him in the lineup.
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