OF ZAC JONES, DAWN STALEY, JURGEN KLOPP

 Some opinion, mostly fact:

AFTER WASTING AWAY as a healthy scratch for 33 of the 

New York Rangers’ first 48 games, the forgotten man, Libor 

Hayek II in waiting … Zac Jones finally got another chance 

– if almost by default – and all he did was score the winning 

goal and add an assist in a 7-2 victory over the Ottawa 

Senators.

What’s more, the 23 year old defenseman from Richmond 

finished the game an impressive (to say the least) plus-4 in the 

tell-tale plus-minus category. It was vindication, of sorts, for 

Jones who – amazingly – hasn’t gone off the rails in 

frustration and demanded to be traded.

But then that isn’t his style … never has been, probably never 

will be. Instead, when asked (which isn’t often) about his lack 

of playing time, Jones can be counted on to say all the right 

things like … all he can do is work hard in practice, control 

what he can control, and be ready when called on … blah-

blah-blah. It is what it is.

An injury to Ryan Lindgren and Jacob Trouba’s two-game 

suspension left the Rangers needing help along the backline, 

giving Jones only his second opportunity to play a regular 

shift in 21 games. Since November when he replaced injured 

Adam Fox for 10 games … and NY went 7-2-1 … the 5-11, 

185 pounder had suited up for five of 29 games in all.

Meanwhile, the Rangers, off to a terrific start – winning 18 of 

their first 23 games to lead the well-balanced Metropolitan 

Division, have gone 12-12-2 since then. They remain in first 

place, now by two points over preseason favorite Carolina at 

the NHL all-star game break. There have been several reasons 

for the breakdown ... none more obvious than a defense that 

keeps getting caught out of position … and, unlike the past 

two seasons, goaltender Igor Shesterkin hasn’t been able to 

make up for it … at least often enough to suit fans who pretty 

much blame the 2022 Vezina Trophy winner for what ails the 

team.

Jones was paired with veteran Eric Gustafsson on the third 

defensive tandem Saturday night in Ottawa. Trailing 2-0, NY 

moved in front by scoring three goals in fewer than four 

minutes of a monster five-goal second period. Jones converted 

a perfect pass from Artemi Panarin at 9:12 to give the 

Rangers the lead to stay.

It was Jones’ first goal of the season. Then, at 11:16, his long 

drive was tipped in by Johny Brodzinski for a 4-2 advantage 

– and the rout was on. A two-point game from a lightly-used 

player should have been worth considerable comment for a 

team in desperate need of a lift. Instead, Jones received scant 

mention in light of Conor Mackey’s fight with Senators’ 

tough guy Brady Tkachuk.

A defenseman, making his first NHL appearance in more than 

a year, Mackey was called up from AHL Hartford earlier in 

the day ...and was in the lineup only because Lindgren was a 

last-minute scratch. To read game accounts as well as 

comments from fans, you might have thought Mackey was the 

second-coming of (fill in the name of a former defenseman 

known for dropping his gloves).

That it wasn’t much of a fight … Tkachuk landed a few blows 

while Mackey was holding on … didn’t matter. Ranger fans 

think the current edition is lacking toughness. Seeing someone 

engage in fisticuffs was enough to set them off, regardless of 

the outcome.

Next game for NY is Monday at Madison Square Garden 

against the Colorado Avalanche. It will be interesting to see 

what coach Peter Laviolette does with Jones … that is, if he 

isn’t traded first. The Rangers are in the market for a center to 

replace Filip Chytil, lost for the season with severe 

concussion problems.

DID YOU SEE Dawn Staley give her players hard love – 

very funny! -- during unbeaten South Carolina’s come-from-

behind victory over LSU? She got in their faces with words 

that (cliché alert) would make a sailor blush … and, of course, 

it worked … Hard to believe this is the same DS that was an 

All-American at Virginia for Debbie Ryan many moons ago. 

That Staley seldom let her emotions show as she sliced and 

diced the opposition as a slick guard who was arguably the 

best woman basketball player to call the commonwealth home 

… Come to think about it: forget the arguably part. Go on, I 

dare you … name one better … Question: What would it take 

for Staley to return to C-Ville and take over her alma mater’s 

program that hasn’t been the same since Ryan retired? Or, to 

get right to the point: How much?

SO … JURGEN KLOPP says he is leaving Liverpool at 

English Premier League season’s end … Let the rumor begin: 

Klopp to Manchester United, replacing Erik ten Hag as 

coach … Klopp says he needs time away from the game, so 

doesn’t plan to coach next season. We’ll see. 

Until next time ...