Mancini’s Emergence Has Beefed up Defense
The Rangers’ young 2024-25 upside isn’t limited to the forwards. No story that came out of camp was bigger than the
eye-opening effort of Victor Mancini, the 6-3, 215-pound right-shot defenseman who looked to have caught the organization’s attention as part of the future, then did more than enough to end up on the opening-night roster with the injury to Ryan Lindgren, and now might just stay even after Lindgren returns, which is expected to be soon.
Mancini, a 2022 fifth-round pick out of Nebraska-Omaha, got the nod for Lindgren’s spot despite forcing fellow righty Braden Schneider to move to the left side, the 22-year-old being just too impressive to not make the team. With Schneider handling his off side well for now, it’s possible Lindgren’s return will come on the third pair, bumping another rising youngster, Zac Jones, to the press box. Jones has looked good as well in the first three games after taking a leap last season in 31 contests, but the Rangers’ depth of personnel might force strong options such as Jones out of the lineup – the kind of problem every coach wants to have.
With Mancini in the mix, the Blueshirts’ defense is bigger and tougher, something that has become a necessity for success in the NHL playoffs nowadays, and, as mentioned earlier, has been lacking in recent years for the Rangers. Whether Mancini stays in for the long haul or not, he and Jones, the speedy offensive-minded blueliner, have fortified a deep pool of defensive options for Laviolette that will surely be needed for the Blueshirts to make another run at the Stanley Cup.