JONES FINALLY GETS DESERVED APPLAUSE

 It took too long for them to wise up but … ZAC JONES finally is appreciated by just about everyone … except the one that counts. Check some of the latest comments by hardened fans of the NHL New York Rangers, and you’ll find they prefer Jones, 23, who has spent most of the season a healthy scratch, over ERIK GUSTAFSSON, 32, who joined the team as a free agent prior to season’s start … and immediately was installed (over Jones) on the third defensive pairing. 

“No question Jones is better than Gus.”

“More energy … smarter player. Like his game more.”

“His game does not look like an accident waiting to happen. 

Gus, on the other hand, is accident prone.”

That was a mere sample of opinion … most of which favored 

Jones, the Richmonder who remains the only player to suit up 

in the NHL born AND raised in Virginia. OK, so one observer 

did request caution:

“Pump the brakes a little on Jones here. He looked spectacular 

last game [he appeared] but that was against Montreal who [sic] 

sucks. I’d count on seeing Jones in the playoffs due to injuries. 

He’ll be a starter on the third pairing next season.”

That’s what we thought would happen this year … after Jones 

had two stellar campaigns with AHL Hartford. In fact, there 

was a story that Rangers’ general manager CHRIS DRURY

 and coach GERARD GALLANT disagreed over the use of 

Jones … which might have played a role (albeit limited) in 

Gallant being fired at season’s end.

Nevertheless, with the arrival of PETER LAVIOLETTE, as 

Gallant’s successor, and with him Gustafsson who played for 

Laviolette in Washington a year ago … nothing changed for 

Jones … other than signing new (one-way) contract for 

$825,000 that guarantees he’ll get all of the money … but also 

means he can’t return to Hartford without first going through 

waivers … and the Rangers aren’t going to risk losing Jones, 

who has trade value. 

The Florida Panthers, Stanley Cup runners-up in 2022-23, told 

Drury they would like to have him next year … after losing a 

couple of free agents they don’t expect to re-sign. For all we 

know, a deal has been arranged – to be announced later.

You would think, by now, Jones, son of long-time Richmond 

Renegades trainer/equipment manager ROB JONES, would 

have expressed some displeasure about his treatment by the 

Rangers. After all, he has been a healthy scratch in 44 of the 

team’s 79 games to date. And New York, the NHL leader in 

points (110) with three games left to play before the playoffs 

get under way April 22, is 22-7-2 with Jones in the lineup … 

But, no-o-o-o … he keeps his frustrations to himself … which 

is what endears him to Laviolette who, occasionally, will tell 

the world how well Jones has been playing and how much he 

likes his attitude … which invariably means it’s back to being a 

healthy scratch for a while.

In his fourth pro season after being New York’s third-round 

draft choice (68th overall) in 2019 … after winning the NCAA 

championship with the University of Massachusetts ... Jones 

was a healthy scratch in nine of this season’s first 10 games … 

then, because of an injury to ADAM FOX, played 10 in a row 

when the red-hot Rangers went 7-2-1 … Since then, Jones has 

missed as many as 12 straight … From March 9 to April 1, with 

Jones in the lineup because of injuries to JACOB TROUBA, 

RYAN LINDGREN and Gustafsson, they didn’t miss a beat, 

winning 10 of 13. A 5-2 home loss to Pittsburgh ended a five-

game winning streak … and Jones only appearance in four 

games since then was a 5-2 romp against Montreal.

Meanwhile, Gustafsson, with his seventh team in six NHL 

seasons, is living up to a reputation of being loose with the 

puck – a bad pass waiting to happen. In truth, the Rangers’ top 

six defensemen are better known for their offense … and are 

too-often out of position in their own end, forcing goaltenders

 IGOR SHESTERKIN and JONATHAN QUICK to bail 

them out – which, more often than not, they have.

Not that Jones has been perfect. Who has? Certainly not

 K’ANDRE MILLER, who is big, a strong skater and 

certainly looks intimidating … but unless forced to – as he was 

when all five skaters paired off at the drop of the first puck of 

Rangers/Devils April 3 – Miller avoids dropping his gloves and 

therefore is not a fan favorite by any stretch of the imagination. 

A couple of years ago, when challenged by LA’s DREW 

DOUGHTY, Miller responded by spitting in the veteran 

defenseman’s face.

Trouba fights on occasion but not often enough to soothe 

outspoken critics of the Rangers team captain … who like 

Miller, his partner on the No. 2 defensive pairing, tends to be 

caught out of position and tends to cough up the puck, whether 

pressured or otherwise … Yesterday, in a rare putdown (by 

him), former NHL tough guy ORLAND KURTENBACH, 87, 

wrote in the New York Post: “Some of his giveaways are mind-

boggling. What is he thinking? Nobody on him closely … yet 

he passes the puck directly to the opposition. Come on, Trouba 

… you’re our captain … start playing like it! … Play Jones.”

The 2021 recipient of the Norris Trophy, that goes to the 

NHL’sdefenseman of the year, Fox is a scoring machine and 

fits on the team’s top pairing with Lindgren, who does most of 

– if not all – the dirty work ... At 5-11, 200, Lindgren attempts 

to play like he’s much bigger, and that invariably leads to 

assorted injuries. He has also developed an unwanted knack for 

own goals this season … The rap against Jones, which he’s 

heard since he started playing the game, is too small, too small 

… yet, at 5-11, 185, he checks in at exactly the same size as … 

Fox.

In fact, their games are similar as well. They are excellent 

skaters and move the puck well. Jones tends to take his 5 on 5 

defensive duties more seriously … but Fox is so good in the 

offensive end that he is an automatic choice for the power play 

… possibly at the expense of Jones who excelled there in 

Hartford.

That leaves 6-2, 210 pound BRADEN SCHNEIDER, 22, a 

second-year pro who has been a fixture on the third defense … 

with Gustafsson this season … after playing some of his best 

hockey paired with Jones in New York as well as Hartford. 

Prior to Thursday (April 11) night’s game with Philadelphia, 

Trouba was minus 3, Schneider minus 2 … the only Rangers’ 

defensemen not even or better in the tell-tale plus-minus 

category. Lindgren led with plus-23, followed by Fox (plus-20 

). Jones, who was minus 8 midway of the season, was plus 1 

but, despite an impressive game against the Canadiens, was 

benched (again) against the New York Islanders two nights 

later.

The Rangers dropped a 4-2 decision … and Gustafsson was on 

for three even-strength goals by the Islanders. He’s now plus-2 

overall. Laviolette might have no choice but replace him with 

Jones. To be determined.