A change in roles can impact a player’s morale, especially when it involves reduced playing time. This is the predicament New York Rangers defenseman Zac Jones currently faces — and he’s understandably frustrated.
During the Rangers’ first practice of 2025 on Wednesday, Jones was once again positioned as the No. 7 defenseman. With only six defensemen typically dressing for games, Jones finds himself left out of the lineup yet again.
This isn’t the first time Jones has been on the outside looking in. Last season, he was often the extra defenseman, though he managed to appear in a career-high 31 games, contributing nine points (two goals and seven assists).
Jones didn’t hide his disappointment about the situation when speaking to reporters after practice.
“It’s tough. It’s really [expletive] tough,” he said. “I’m generally a pretty easygoing, happy person. No matter what’s happening in my life, I try to come to the rink with a smile on my face. But it [expletive] sucks. There’s no other way to put it.”
Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette acknowledged Jones’ frustration but explained that recent roster changes have forced him to make tough decisions, leaving some players unhappy.
“You’re frustrated and want to play. I’d expect anyone out of the lineup to feel that way,” Laviolette said. “The roster has changed on the back end. Different players bring different things, and that’s where we are right now. It’s OK to be frustrated. Everyone wants to play.”
Laviolette added, “We’ll just take it day by day. We can only dress six [defensemen] tomorrow, so we’ll pick those six and go from there.”
Zac Jones on outside of Rangers’ defense rotation
Heading into this season, Zac Jones was expected to play a significant role for the New York Rangers. The 24-year-old has recorded eight points (one goal, seven assists) and a plus-2 rating across 26 games, appearing in 20 of the team’s last 21 contests before Christmas. However, he was a healthy scratch for both games during the Rangers’ post-Christmas trip to Florida and has sat out four of the last five games.
Jones had been projected to take on a bigger role following Erik Gustafsson’s departure in free agency over the summer. Yet, his playing time diminished as rookie Victor Mancini claimed opportunities earlier in the season, and more recently, two newly acquired defensemen—Urho Vaakanainen (via the Jacob Trouba trade with Anaheim) and Will Borgen (acquired in the deal that sent Kaapo Kakko to Seattle)—have surpassed him on the depth chart. The return of K’Andre Miller from injury, along with Adam Fox, Ryan Lindgren, and Braden Schneider firmly established in their roles, has further limited Jones’ chances.
When asked about the possibility of requesting a trade, Jones acknowledged the uncertainty of his future but said he would consider his options carefully.
“I’ll need to talk with my agent, talk to my family, and probably have a conversation with [general manager Chris] Drury or Coach Laviolette,” Jones said. “I don’t know exactly what’s next, but we’ll see how things unfold.”
Unless an injury reshuffles the lineup, Jones is likely to remain a spectator from the press box when the Rangers face the Boston Bruins at Madison Square Garden in their first game of 2025 on Thursday night.
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