Rangers Assign Zac Jones to Hartford Wolf Pack
Zac Jones is rejoining the Hartford Wolf Pack, and the New York Rangers are prepared to move forward with a third pairing of Patrik Nemeth and Braden Schneider in the interim.
UPDATE: Zac Jones has been assigned to @WolfPackAHL.
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) February 22, 2022
Jones most recently had been paired with Schneider, and in just under 30 minutes of TOI at 5v5, the duo had an xGF% of 70.77, a CF% of 49.97, and a GF% of 47. The pair generated 2.05 goals for per 60, and allowed 2.31 goals per 60 according to Evolving-Hockey.
Individually, Jones has posted a GF% of 32.3, a CF% of 37.37, and an xGF% of 55.42. He’s also been worth 0.2 goals above replacement this year, and shockingly his value has come on the defensive side of the puck (0.6), and not the offensive side (-0.5).
The news isn’t surprising now that Nemeth is seemingly 100 percent to go, and there’s no sense keeping Jones around as a scratch if he’s able to play in Hartford. The Rangers will be tested mightily with their upcoming schedule of games, and it isn’t out of the question that we could see Jones back in New York some point soon. In an ideal world he’d keep playing with the Rangers, but that’s the way it goes.
