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

[broadwayblue]

I posted this elsewhere but burning a year gives the Rangers an advantage as well. Since he will go RFA early, he will be a 10.2(c) status player and therefore not eligible for offer sheets or salary arbitration. That makes the negotiations a lot easier when his ELC is up.

Additionally, they have negotiated an ELC without performance bonuses, which this team has experienced the downsides of this past season having over 7.5% of the cap in bonuses on the team already.

Gotcha. Thanks.

 

[MysticLeviathan]

Jones can’t be any worse than Hajek so there shouldn’t be any reservations about putting him in tbh

the game is so much quicker. jones has blown coverage written all over him. the nhl game is so much tougher mentally. Like I wouldn’t mind if we played him as a 7th D and put him in more offensive oriented situations, but I’m extremely concerned over how he’ll perform on the defensive side of the ice.

 

[cwede]

No really important NYR has worn 6 in a gazillion years
Most important guys - Neil Colville, Bun Cook
also Sather, Malhotra, Lidster('94), Marotte, Kaspar

My favorite NYR #6 tale - Hockey News ran a cover story about journeymen players and had a NYR wearing 6 on cover. That season, 3 guys wore 6 - Miro Horava, Ken Hammond, Dean Kennedy.
The article featured Dean Kennedy but cover photo was of Hammond ...
Los Angeles Kings Legends: Dean Kennedy
"In a cover story on the Feb. 3, 1989 issue of The Hockey News, Kennedy earned the dubious honor of being the NHL's "most average defenseman" as a result of a NHL average statistics analysis. Unfortunately, The Hockey News goofed in picking Kennedy's photo for the cover, accidentally choosing a photo of Ken Hammond."

 

[haveandare]

the game is so much quicker. jones has blown coverage written all over him. the nhl game is so much tougher mentally. Like I wouldn’t mind if we played him as a 7th D and put him in more offensive oriented situations, but I’m extremely concerned over how he’ll perform on the defensive side of the ice.

Yeah, I want to believe he can jump in but it seems unrealistic. Having said that, pretty much everyone agreed Miller was way too raw to jump in and here he is, so who knows? This team has some weird mojo with NCAA defensemen recently

 

[Leetch3]

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

While the AHL is a better league than the NHL, I unfortunately question this organization's ability to develop talent down there. Been a while since we had players play significant time in Hartford and then make an impact on the big club. Girardi, Callahan, Dubinsky? Is there someone more recent? Honestly can't think of anyone off the top of my head.

yes there are more recent, and yes we had a pretty poor development program in Hartford

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

While the AHL is a better league than the <edit> NCAA , I unfortunately question this organization's ability to develop talent down there. Been a while since we had players play significant time in Hartford and then make an impact on the big club. Girardi, Callahan, Dubinsky? Is there someone more recent? Honestly can't think of anyone off the top of my head.

Lindgren. Shesterskin. Chytil.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Lindgren. Shesterskin. Chytil.

Shestyorkin was in Hartford for 3 months

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Shestyorkin was in Hartford for 3 months

And?

How many players who make an impact on the big club play significant time in Hartford?

 

[patnyrnyg]

Lindgren. Shesterskin. Chytil.

Igor was 24 years old when he got to Hartford, not counting him. Chytil was 1/2 season. I forgot about Lindgren, but he and Chytil were former first rounders. Guys I was talking about (Girardi, Cally, Dubinsky) were not and neither is Jones.

 

[nyr2k2]

JT Miller. Brady Skjei. Talbot. Joey Keane was doing real well and may become a good player. Most of our good prospects (until recently) have bypassed Hartford. That's a side effect of having a crappy, shallow prospect pool--the guys you have in the AHL are mediocre or fringe prospects.

Lias Andersson actually did quite well in Hartford before he quit. I also think the time in Hartford, after Kravtsov came back, was hugely beneficial to his game.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

i don't think its that surprising he changed his stance. winning a championship helps add a sense of completion and makes it easier to move on from. also, the rangers made it pretty financially appealing. and i'd imagine part of the sell was whats already in place, its in his best interest to make the jump to the pros and experience that now with a full summer to prepare knowing what that level takes. i never got any impression he had any cares about the depth chart, but i suppose the org may not have wanted to find out what could change there if they didn't get him signed sooner than later. i think the bigger incentive is because of said prospect glut on d, and assuming say 3-4 of the still to come guys track towards quality nhl dmen, which seems very likely at the moment - though nothing can be assumed from an org pov - there will be trades at some point. to that end, getting him in now, a head start on a summer into camp, gives them a significant amount of evaluation time. when the time comes, you want to know as much as you possibly can making those decisions. this means he'll almost certainly be in camp on the ice w/ nils and the rest next fall instead of evaluating from afar. so both sides ultimately benefit it feels like.

the one thing i'll say about him as a player is these fox comparisons aren't very close as far as how they play. they're both undersized dmen with offensive talent, thats about it. jones is a much more dynamic, or active player than fox. fox is all between the ears, he slows everything down, he executes fakes perfectly to buy time. he's a good skater, but he's not elite there. jones is way more active and fleet, but he's not where fox is defensively, and i'd expect a lot more adventures early with him. like k'andre although different in how they do it, his skating can cover for a lot of his risks...but in the zone i think there will be more issues for him dealing with nhl players. style wise i'd compare him to gostisbehere, who pre knee injury, was incredibly dynamic. he was a bit more refined coming out, but thats probably a better player to have in mind for him. to be clear thats not to put a ceiling on what he might ultimately become, though that would still be a solid return, just that whatever level he gets to, he'll probably look much different than fox doing it.

See, now this as a characterization of how he differs from Fox stylistically is, I think, more accurate than, ah... certain past comparisons. But based on my limited viewings, I think since Jones has arrived at UMass and his play has evolved and he’s gotten more used to playing D, his game has started to more resemble Fox than you credit him for here.

To be clear, I’m NOT saying they’re identical nor am I predicting Jones will be as good (though I am very bullish on his potential). I do agree that he’s a more active skater and not as cerebral or nearly the level of defender, though the latter in particular is to be expected of someone so young and new to the position. But of all the defensemen on the Rangers today and over the last 3-4 years, I still maintain he’s the best parallel. If we go back a bit further, there’s certainly some Yandle, which speaks to the differences you highlight.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Igor was 24 years old when he got to Hartford, not counting him. Chytil was 1/2 season. I forgot about Lindgren, but he and Chytil were former first rounders. Guys I was talking about (Girardi, Cally, Dubinsky) were not and neither is Jones.

So you get to ask the question and decide what kind of answers you want?

 

[bernmeister]

Let's see what the kid's got. Just rotate Smith and Hajek. I feel for Tarmo.

Smith out, T in.

Is Robertson coming this season as well?

asked...

Robertson can play 6 games without it impacting his ELC slide this season
Schneider isn't eligible for the NHL this season

... answered.
Thought it was traditionally 5 so for on the safe side but I stand corrected.

WHL season goes til May 12, Edmonton last regulars season game is May 8
WHL Network
I do not know their plans for playoffs

May 8 is scheduled to be NYR's final regular season game.

so maybe unlikely Robertson joins NYR this season ...

... so that looks like a no, atm.

@cwede giving @Amazing Kreiderman run for the $$ in the useful info dept!

thanks to you both!!

 

[patnyrnyg]

JT Miller. Brady Skjei. Talbot. Joey Keane was doing real well and may become a good player. Most of our good prospects (until recently) have bypassed Hartford. That's a side effect of having a crappy, shallow prospect pool--the guys you have in the AHL are mediocre or fringe prospects.

Lias Andersson actually did quite well in Hartford before he quit. I also think the time in Hartford, after Kravtsov came back, was hugely beneficial to his game.

Again, I am not talking about 1st rounders. They are expected to contribute to the big club. Talking about 2nd rounders and later, guys who get drafted and aren't the locks to make it, similar to Jones. The guys who really need developing. Just do not have confidence in this organization to do so.

 

[bernmeister]

Has he actually signed yet?
sure it is inevitable, but...

 

[patnyrnyg]

So you get to ask the question and decide what kind of answers you want?

Yes.

Like I just said, talking about kids who are not 1st rounders, those who show up to their first camp and not being penciled in as future contributors ala 1st rounders. Igor was already developed when he got here.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Haven’t seen much of him play but from what I’ve seen he looks a bit like a poor mans Quinn Hughes. I like how he dances along the blueline and seems more shifty like DeAngelo rather than Fox. I’d say that’s Fox’s biggest weakness on the PP, he doesn’t have that same crazy agility. Jones also scores a fair amount of goals from the blueline so he has a solid shot

 

[Vitto79]

Has he actually signed yet?
sure it is inevitable, but...

yea he’s already joined the team so he likely practices for a week then may get in

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Haven’t seen much of him play but from what I’ve seen he looks a bit like a poor mans Quinn Hughes. I like how he dances along the blueline and seems more shifty like DeAngelo rather than Fox. I’d say that’s Fox’s biggest weakness on the PP, he doesn’t have that same crazy agility. Jones also scores a fair amount of goals from the blueline so he has a solid shot

I don't have a ton of viewings, but based on what I've seen, I think it's fair to say he has more "dance" to his game, and in that way it's certainly fair to draw parallels to ADA or Hughes. I just think his play in all three zones is a bit more similar to Fox. (The whole former 3rd round pick who continued to develop and outplay his natural gifts plays into it too.)

Regardless, I certainly don't have a problem if people want to debate which particular undersized, offensively gifted D who relies on smarts more than size/strength/speed he most resembles. Heck, at the end of the day, he's his own player and won't parallel anyone exactly. (Nor is he a lock to reach the lofty stats or statuses some of these guys have achieved.)

I just can't let it slide when he's compared to a guy who's 5 inches taller, 25 lbs. heavier, skates like the wind, and is primarily hampered, as opposed to advantaged, by his hockey IQ.

 

[GAGLine]

Yes.

Like I just said, talking about kids who are not 1st rounders, those who show up to their first camp and not being penciled in as future contributors ala 1st rounders. Igor was already developed when he got here.

Can you list the players from other teams that fit your criteria? Maybe you just have unrealistic expectations.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Can you list the players from other teams that fit your criteria? Maybe you just have unrealistic expectations.

Dont care about other teams. Maybe my exepectations are unrealistic or maybe the AHL is not really the "development" league some make it out to be?

 

[NYR Viper]

Dont care about other teams.

Lindgren wasn't a former 1st rounder, he was a 2nd rounder. More often than not, those lower round guys take longer to develop in general so while the team has been rebuilding, many of their lower round guys have been marinating elsewhere (juniors, Europe, college). We should start to see some of those guys developing in the AHL soon (really this was supposed to be the first season where we say some lower drafted players on a cohesive team until COVID).

The other thing to remember is that the Rangers traded away A LOT of picks for a long while. They also acquired quite a few players from other organizations who leap frogged some of their own guys and filled holes almost immediately. Howden, Fox, Gauthier, Lindgren, Lemieux.

Also Hajek is another guy who developed in the AHL for this team.

 

[patnyrnyg]

Lindgren wasn't a former 1st rounder, he was a 2nd rounder. More often than not, those lower round guys take longer to develop in general so while the team has been rebuilding, many of their lower round guys have been marinating elsewhere (juniors, Europe, college). We should start to see some of those guys developing in the AHL soon (really this was supposed to be the first season where we say some lower drafted players on a cohesive team until COVID).

The other thing to remember is that the Rangers traded away A LOT of picks for a long while. They also acquired quite a few players from other organizations who leap frogged some of their own guys and filled holes almost immediately. Howden, Fox, Gauthier, Lindgren, Lemieux.

Also Hajek is another guy who developed in the AHL for this team.

Hajek developed? You mean the guy that most Rangers fans want gone? Ok.

Marinating elsewhere is part of my point. I think I'd rather have these guys develop elsewhere.

 

[NYR Viper]

Hajek developed? You mean the guy that most Rangers fans want gone? Ok.

Marinating elsewhere is part of my point. I think I'd rather have these guys develop elsewhere.

I think what your not understanding is the guys that generally take a year or two or more to develop in the AHL are generally later picks and they take longer. Guys like Gettinger. The Rangers haven't had enough picks to even stockpile those guys long enough to see any of them coming to fruition.