SAGA OF Z JONES CONTINUES

 Here we go … again. Another chapter, yet another verse in the story of Richmond’s ZAC JONES as he tries to land a regular job with the New York Rangers … who, to date, have treated him poorly … and probably should have traded him … but then you never know. (cliché alert) Hope springs eternal. Maybe this year the 5-10, 185-pounder will get a realistic chance to prove he belongs among the top six defensemen. Maybe … because sooner than later his long-time fallback … It is what it is ... won’t cut it any more … and the son of former ECHL Richmond Renegades long-time trainer ROB JONES will tell us what he really thinks … how his agent once thought Z Jones might wind up with defending Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers … only to find out the Rangers wanted a first-round draft choice or, at the very least, a second-rounder plus ... for a player who was a healthy scratch for all but 31 games … and didn’t dress for the playoffs … not once? … Oh, and isn’t it about time they stop using his size against him? After all, he has the same bulk as teammate (and 2022 winner of the Norris Trophy awarded annually to the player voted best NHL defenseman) ADAM FOX … and their respective games are eerily similar: strong skaters, clever with the puck and move it well … excellent 

passers … adept at running the power play (which Jones 

proved during two seasons with AHL Hartford but, to 

date, has been overlooked by NY coaches GERARD 

GALLANT and his successor PETER LAVIOLETTE.

Training camp got under way this week, with the first of 

six preseason games Sunday (Sept. 22) at the Boston 

Garden against the Bruins (5 p.m.) … Rangers will meet 

Boston, the Islanders and New Jersey Devils home-and-

home before the regular season gets under way 

Wednesday, Oct. 9 at Pittsburgh (7:30 p.m., TNT) … 

Odds-on choice to be paired with JACOB TROUBA on 

the NY backline, Jones, 23, lined up with Rangers’ 

embattled captain to open the first day of skating 

Thursday … but later was teamed with 22 year old

 BRADEN SCHNEIDER who spent much of last year 

with K’ANDRE MILLER, the smooth-skating, 

offensive-minded d-man who, despite his size (6-2, 220), 

shies away from the rough stuff … which makes him less 

than popular with fans … Fox and RYAN LINDGREN

 apparently will continue as the No. 1 tandem … Gone 

(thankfully) to Detroit, his eighth team in six years, fourth 

in little more than two, ERIK GUSTAFSSON was 

brought in by Laviolette, who coached the veteran 

defenseman with the Washington Capitals, and was 

automatically placed ahead of Jones on the left side of the 

No. 3 d-unit in 2023-24. To date the Rangers have given 

every indication the position is Jones to lose this time 

around even though Laviolette has continued to insist it is 

not a given … New York did not sign anyone to replace 

Gustafsson … and organization holdovers like BEN 

HARPURand MATTHEW ROBERTSON don’t appear 

to have the right stuff. The 6-5 Harpur, who got a long 

look two years ago and was found lacking, played only 

seven games in 2023-24 (with AHL Hartford.) … 

Robertson, 23. returns for his fifth crack at making the 

Rangers’ lineup and, as usual, has been the subject of 

wishful thinking by the Big Apple media … which still 

hasn’t caught on the 6-4, 220 pounder is too often caught 

out of position. See the first of two games between the 

Flyers and Rangers rookie teams … when Robertson 

went for a skate and heralded Philadelphia newcomer

 MATVEI MITCHKOV took advantage with a much-

too-easy goal.

Until next time ...