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Player Discussion Zac Jones

He will never be as good as Adam Fox and plays a very different game.

Krug is the verymost optimistic projection. Jones has a lot of work to do on his defensive game- this is great recognition, but he wasn't facing a ton of NHL level talent much of the tourney.

If he made the NHL in the fall of 2022 it'd be great. Season opener of 2023 would see him only 22 years old still
 
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OrlandK said:
Zac just voted one top three players on Team USA.

Trending towards left handed version of Adam Fox (and a better skater).
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lol if he turns into a fox clone, and we trade him shame on us. Having a version of Adam fox on the ice for an entire game is a dream But that’s not realistic. He’s trade bait IMo. Doubt the rangers have 3 guys in their rotation on 6 D that are 5’11 and under and have a more offensive game then a physical/defensive one.
Plus Schneider Robertson and KAM all can move the puck pretty well. All have a good first pass. Miller skates the puck out of trouble like A beast. He’s big and fast and after his first 2-3 strides he’s gone like a race horse.
Lindgren also has the smarts, pretty good wheels and moves the puck well. So does Trouba. The guy put up 50 pts from the blue line. He won’t with us because that’s not his role here, but he can certainly be a 30-35 pt guy while providing good D in a mostly defensive role
 
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He's gonna get a real shot next year, said in another thread I'd expect him, Fox and Lundkvist to have one of Miller Trouba and Lindgren on each of their pairings. I honestly think Smith will be here as a 7d/10f and Jones will make his way into a permanent spot next year.
 
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KreiderBomb said:
He's gonna get a real shot next year, said in another thread I'd expect him, Fox and Lundkvist to have one of Miller Trouba and Lindgren on each of their pairings. I honestly think Smith will be here as a 7d/10f and Jones will make his way into a permanent spot next year.
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pretty sure they will get a vet D not named Smith that will block a kid
 
Vitto79 said:
pretty sure they will get a vet D not named Smith that will block a kid
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Any replacement for Smith will become the new Smith

giphy.gif
 
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I think the Krug comparison is far more apt than Fox. That being said, I saw Fox more as a Shattenkirk type coming out of Harvard than a cornerstone #1 defensemen, so wtf do I know?
 
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idk man Jones is a guy that seems to consistently beat expectations.

Not expected to play on the 2020 world juniors team, did it and absolutely rocketed up our prospect rankings

Not expected to win an NCAA championship? did it his sophomore year

Not expected to turn pro until at least his junior year? got NHL games as a 20 year old with no training camp and looked, at the very least, good.

Now he has a medal at the WCs while being named a top player. I don't know what more you want from him honestly. If he was 6' 1" he'd be god tier on this board. I do get the sense that he's more likely trade bait than a corner stone piece at this point but it's still hard to not be just a little excited.

nyr2k2 said:
LOL come on dude he is not trending towards Adam Fox. Be realistic about these kids.
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to be fair Adam Fox wasn't trending to Adam Fox either until he stepped on NHL ice.
 
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Jones is going to have his work cut out for him to turn into the next Fox. Fox was able to develop under a developmental head coach experienced at working with young players. Jones is going to have to try to do it under a coach with a mandate to win now.
 
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Of course its silly to say Jones, who is still just a prospect, will be as good as Fox, who already is a Norris Trophy contender. That said he is on an amazing trajectory, as Raspewtin describes. He has a credible chance to be really special. When the prospect and under 23 type ratings come out he is going to be near the top of the Rangers list. He has already surpassed Matthew Robertson, who is progressing just fine in his own right. . Fully agree that amassing so many undersized dmen is an issue. But Jones is looking like a 1st round talent - thank you (again) Jeff Gorton - and a possible future star.
 
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OrlandK said:
Of course its silly to say Jones, who is still just a prospect, will be as good as Fox, who already is a Norris Trophy contender. That said he is on an amazing trajectory, as Raspewtin describes. He has a credible chance to be really special. When the prospect and under 23 type ratings come out he is going to be near the top of the Rangers list. He has already surpassed Matthew Robertson, who is progressing just fine in his own right. . Fully agree that amassing so many undersized dmen is an issue. But Jones is looking like a 1st round talent - thank you (again) Jeff Gorton - and a possible future star.
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Agreed but to round out this team we are going to have to make some moves for a Center and we cannot hang on to all of our D men. Nils and Miller both have tremendous upside for all around games and better defensively than Jones. I'd rather cash in on his growth otherwise we are getting rid of Miller.
 
SingnBluesOnBroadway said:
The Sabres are gonna love this kid.
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I would doubt that he is long for the organization. Lingren and Miller are here for a while. The other choice, provided that it is not some big UFA, will be Robertson or Jones. Robertson will get the first crack at it more than likely. And it is not like he hurt his chances last year.
 
OrlandK said:
Of course its silly to say Jones, who is still just a prospect, will be as good as Fox, who already is a Norris Trophy contender. That said he is on an amazing trajectory, as Raspewtin describes. He has a credible chance to be really special. When the prospect and under 23 type ratings come out he is going to be near the top of the Rangers list. He has already surpassed Matthew Robertson, who is progressing just fine in his own right. . Fully agree that amassing so many undersized dmen is an issue. But Jones is looking like a 1st round talent - thank you (again) Jeff Gorton - and a possible future star.
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i dunno if you can say with confidence Jones 'surpassed' Matthew Robertson;
that guy led his league in Shots and +\- as a 6'4", 210# well-skating 2-way D and took best D in division honors

soring out the 4 (+ Nils, Scheids, obvi) new blue-chip D-men will help make the next 2 seasons interesting
I continue to hope none are moved out prematurely, unless in a slam-dunk or remarkably worthwhile deal
( my 1st-choice du-jour is Jones for Kupari...)

but Jones' arc has been impressive, i shared this to less-informed LAK fans elsewhere
upload_2021-6-7_15-20-37.png

Zac Jones at eliteprospects.com
 
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Jones was one of the 3 best players on a top team at the Men's World Championships and Robertson didn't even make the team for the under-20's.

Come on guys. Robertson is a fine prospect, but there's clearly a gap here.
 
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If I’m K’Andre Miller, I’d play like my job is very much on the line next training camp.

Miller blew my expectations away last season and fills a very unique role on this team with his size and wingspan. I’m still more bullish on him than any of these other guys. But he didn’t light the world on fire this past season. I’d wager he doesn’t have a huge margin for error with the rate at which Jones, Lundkvist, Schneider and Robertson are progressing.
 
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ColonialsHockey10 said:
If I’m K’Andre Miller, I’d play like my job is very much on the line next training camp.

Miller blew my expectations away last season and fills a very unique role on this team with his size and wingspan. I’m still more bullish on him than any of these other guys. But he didn’t light the world on fire this past season. I’d wager he doesn’t have a huge margin for error with the rate at which Jones, Lundkvist, Schneider and Robertson are progressing.
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Yes. I think Miller played so much this past season, at least in part, out of necessity. He is a hugely talented player so he made it work. But probably, ideally, he would have spent last season in the minors. He’s probably about ready for prime time now but also not crazy to think some time in the AHL could help. I think he has more offense in him and needs to work on his defending in general. Could do that more freely in the AHL I think.
 
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pblawr said:
Jones was one of the 3 best players on a top team at the Men's World Championships and Robertson didn't even make the team for the under-20's.

Come on guys. Robertson is a fine prospect, but there's clearly a gap here.
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Robertson tested positive for Covid during the WJC camp. We don't know if he would have made the team had he not tested positive, but the WJC is the best of the best under 20 years old. The WC teams for the US and Canada are full of marginal NHL players, especially this year. If the US had sent their actually best, Jones wouldn't have been anywhere near making the team. This was the US defense:

Ryan Shea (24 years old, 0 NHL games, plays in the AHL)
Matt Roy (26 years old, 139 career NHL games)
Conner Mackey (24 years old, played 6 NHL games this year and 27 in the AHL)
Adam Clendening (28 years old, 90 career NHL games, currently plays in the AHL)
Chris Wideman (31 years old, 181 career NHL games, currently plays in the KHL)
Matt Tennyson (31 years old, 165 career NHL games)
Zac Jones (20 years old, 10 NHL games)
Matt Hellickson (23 years old, 0 NHL games, plays in the AHL)
Christian Wolanin (26 years old, 61 career NHL games)

It wasn't really that hard for Jones to stand out from that group.
 
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