Confirmed with Link: UMass LD Zac Jones to join the Rangers!

[LiveLongandProspal]

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[NYR Viper]

So this is fantastic news! The team must think he is close to NHL ready

 

[17futurecap]

Awesome, getting him signed is really good even if he becomes a trade asset, a team wouldn’t have to worry about him not signing.

 

[bl02]

Wow. Would have preferred him staying in college for his final season. Am I wrong?
Just don’t think we need to rush anymore prospects

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Unexpected but glad to have him officially inked.

Let's be honest, getting the ELC locked in doesn't hurt his trade value either in the event the NYR are looking to make a deal this summer.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Burning the year is what pulled it over the line I think.

Had to sweeten the pot a bit for the kid. Now he's RFA in 2023, and he gets paid his signing bonus twice in 3 months

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

Wow. Would have preferred him staying in college for his final season. Am I wrong?
Just don’t think we need to rush anymore prospects

I think you are wrong. AHL/NHL is better for him than NCAA. So this is a right move. Staying in college for 1 more season is basically being pennywise, pound foolish both for him and for organization.

 

[ecemleafs]

hmmm surprising. thought he was gonna stay in college another year.

 

[Vitto79]

Wow .... well he needs to play so trade Smith

 

[cwede]

this feels much smarter than when they burned an ELC year for Haggerty...

 

[FireGerardGallant]

Wow .... well he needs to play so trade Smith

Or bench libor lol

 

[bl02]

I think you are wrong. AHL/NHL is better for him than NCAA. So this is a right move. Staying in college for 1 more season is basically being pennywise, pound foolish both for him and for organization.

Just would have preferred that extra year of ELC But he did look great in the NCAA playoffs

 

[cwede]

hmmm surprising. thought he was gonna stay in college another year.

those quotes were from before Hockey East tournament;
weeks later, when they made Frozen Four,
it seemed more likely that IF they won it all, he'd reconsider

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Hartford ?

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

This season has been such an emotional roller coaster. For every miserable or depressing thing that’s happened, I feel like there’s something equally as exciting, like this, to counter it.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

hmmm surprising. thought he was gonna stay in college another year.

Derek Stepan said he was going to stay in school for all 4 years before signing.

Part of it is leverage, part of it may be what they're feeling at the time but usually the agents/advisiors get in their ear and speak sense to them. If you're healthy and you've performed, your best bet is to sign ASAP and get that money/clock rolling.

 

[bl02]

He becomes our Cale Makar and leads us into the playoffs

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

Hartford ?

Because of their light schedule it might be better to just work him in here, switch him in and out with Hajek even if he doesn't play every game

 

[DanielBrassard]

Wow, was not expecting this. Excited to see him play, I wonder who he will be playing over assuming Smith isn't traded.

 

[Fitzy]

So much for him being a long ways from the NHL.

Highly unexpected. I guess they think he's ready to play.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

Ehhh glad to have him in the fold but not sure he’s NHL ready

As mentioned burning the year must have been a draw, cause he was committed to going back for his junior year

 

[MysticLeviathan]

burning the year is really bad for the Rangers. Why are they doing this now? I get it for the kid as he gets a huge payday, but he isn’t ready. He needs another year or two of seasoning.

 

[Fitzy]

burning the year is really bad for the Rangers. Why are they doing this now? I get it for the kid as he gets a huge payday, but he isn’t ready. He needs another year or two of seasoning.

I guess we will find out one way or the other.

 

[NYR Viper]

If we all recall, the Rangers pulled Lindgren after his sophomore season as well. People said he needed more time. Lindgren spent the better part of his 'junior' season in the AHL and then came up to the Rangers. They could see a similar pathway for Jones

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

burning the year is really bad for the Rangers. Why are they doing this now? I get it for the kid as he gets a huge payday, but he isn’t ready. He needs another year or two of seasoning.

It really isn't that big a deal.