Zach Jones entered Rangers coaching camp with the identical purpose he had every of the earlier three seasons.
Nevertheless, the circumstances couldn’t have been extra totally different.
It is the primary time the Rangers have not introduced in a model new defenseman to compete straight with the 23-year-old for the sixth defenseman spot.
That is to not say there’s zero competitors, as a result of there definitely is, largely with Chad Ruwedel.
However all Jones has to do is attain out and take what he is been working towards all his life.
“This can be a nice alternative for me,” Jones instructed The Publish whereas sitting at his locker Saturday at MSG’s apply facility. “That was my mindset over the summer time, I needed to are available in and play my sport and actually show to those coaches and employees that I can play a full 82 video games. That is my purpose for this 12 months, is to come back in and be a daily participant.
“We’ve a extremely good staff right here and I feel I can assist this staff tremendously.”
Jones spoke to The Publish final season about how rather more of a mindset he had concerning his function with the Rangers.
Serving as a deep skater, bouncing between the AHL and NHL and getting scratched most nights was one thing the UMass product had by no means skilled, so the 2022-23 season, specifically, was an adjustment.
Jones lastly settled into the No. 7 defenseman function and spent all of final season with the Blueshirts.
The protection corps suffered a number of accidents together with a A 10-game layoff without Adam Foxhowever Jones stuffed the void successfully each time he was requested.
“There’s undoubtedly motivation from final 12 months,” he stated. “I wish to be somebody who performs each sport. Being somebody who was out for many of final 12 months, being a wholesome zero, that offers you further motivation. I am proper there, however I wish to be somewhat longer. I wish to be the place these guys are. I wish to battle within the playoffs. So it is undoubtedly further motivation for me.”
The Virginia native impressed then-first base coach Peter Laviolette, who opted to stay with Jones as his 7D even after the Rangers acquired Ruwedel earlier than the commerce deadline.
Showing in 31 video games final season, by which he scored two objectives and had seven assists, Jones skated with a number of totally different defensive companions – together with Fox, Ruwedel, Brayden Schneider and Erik Gustafsson.
“I might prefer to see him choose up the place he left off final 12 months,” Laviolette stated of Jones. “He got here in and it appeared just like the extra he performed, the longer the season went on, the higher he acquired. He performed with confidence on the finish, his skating was good, he moved the puck nicely, he defended nicely.
“I feel that has improved because the season has gone on, so that you search for that development throughout the participant. Coaching camp is the place all of it begins.”
Jones stated he felt good in regards to the 13-game stretch he acquired towards the top of final season. when Jacob Trouba was out with what we now know was a damaged ankle.
Based mostly on that’s the mindset he takes into coaching camp.
“I simply thought on the finish of the 12 months I used to be skating rather a lot higher,” Jones stated. “I used my legs extra. I used to be extra aggressive within the D zone, leaping within the rush – simply enjoying my sport once more. I felt like I acquired again to my type of hockey and it felt actually good.”
