The National Hockey League preseason is over, and plenty of storylines surround last season’s Metropolitan Division champions, the New York Rangers. One of those storylines is which of the original six franchise’s youngest players will step up and take on a bigger role this season or make the team for the first time.
While not finalized yet, the Rangers roster is shaping up to have a balance of raw talent and seasoned veterans. After the departures of Barclay Goodrow and Erik Gustafsson and the injury suffered by Ryan Lindgren in the preseason, the Rangers are looking to fill at least two spots in their lineup on the blueline and one within their forward group for opening night. This means there will be heavy competition for those spots. Here are some candidates to take on those roles.
Zac Jones
Position: Defense
Age: 24
Drafted: 2019, 68th Overall
Jones impressed in the 2024-25 preseason by scoring two goals and adding three assists. Jones scored the first and third goals of the game for his team, sparking a 6-4 comeback win on Sept. 24 against the Islanders. On the first goal, Jones scored on a good, simple deke on a breakaway. On the second, Jones fired a one-time slap shot that beat the goalie to the far side of the net. It’s a good sign that the undersized defenseman is starting to produce offense at the NHL level, albeit in the preseason.
Last season, Jones scored just nine points in 31 NHL games. At 24 years old, it’s time that Jones takes the next step in his career and holds down a spot on the Rangers blueline. He probably fits in as a third-paired defenseman starting the year. The third pairing would put Jones alongside fellow young Ranger, the 23-year-old Braden Schneider. Schneider may be a year younger than Jones, but he has two more years of experience playing full seasons in the NHL. That would be an interesting pairing that would contrast Schneider’s hard-nosed, physical style of play with Jones’ finesse and look for Laviolette to try it out in the early going of 2024-25 and give Jones a longer leash than he had in the past.
“I think he’s played good minutes for us. He had a big night the other night. I thought last night he was solid. I think when a player gets in there and they start to get confidence with how they’re moving the puck, how they’re defending if they’re generating offense. That can add confidence and build you.” – Rangers Head Coach, Peter Laviolette
The fact of the matter is that at 5’11”, 190 pounds, Jones is the Rangers’ second smallest defenseman, just ten pounds heavier than finesse defenseman Adam Fox. This will be the knock against Jones but so far, he’s showing that with another year of seasoning under his belt, he’s ready for the grind of a full NHL season.
Adam Edstrom
Position: Forward
Age: 23
Drafted: 2019, 161st overall
Adam Edstrom has come into camp and done a solid job in all facets of the game. The rangy, 6-foot-6 forward has led the Rangers with three goals this preseason, and he is using his size to help check and kill penalties. Edstrom played in 11 NHL games last season and scored two goals, which shows that he has some potential. The forward from Sweden is looking for his chance to play with the big club and this could be his year. Edstrom plays a smart, defensive game, meaning he could fit on the Rangers’ fourth line alongside Jimmy Vesey and Johnny Brodzinski.
Victor Mancini
Position: Defense
Age: 22
Drafted: 2022, 159th overall
Mancini came into training camp as a longshot to make the team but has entered into that conversation by having a solid preseason. The 22-year-old from Michigan finished the preseason with two goals and one assist, including scoring the very first goal of the preseason for the Rangers. His attributes include having good size (6-foot-3, 229 pounds), good skating ability and a wicked wrister, which he used to score both of his goals this preseason.
The injury to Lindgren has opened up another spot on the Rangers blueline, making it all the more likely that Mancini ends up being one of the two players to fill the gaps on the blueline that the Rangers have. Mancini looked good enough to play on the Rangers second-line defensive pairing, but Laviolette will probably start him on the third pairing.
Matthew Robertson
Position: Defense
Age: 23
Draft: 2019, 49th overall
Robertson has waited his turn patiently, and this year may be his year to make the team due to Lindgren’s injury. Right now, he’s probably right behind Zac Jones in the pecking order of Ranger defensemen, making him the Rangers’ sixth defenseman. Robertson has spent the last three seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Hartford Wolfpack and has not seen any time in the NHL. His stats don’t jump off the page but he’s been durable, which is what the Rangers need right now with one of their top-four defensemen out due to injury. Robertson was in the lineup for the Rangers’ final preseason game, so look for him to be in the lineup when the Rangers take on the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first game of the season on Oct. 9.
