The New York Rangers need to shake up their defensive corps this season with injuries and offseason departures catalyzing changes. With opening night around the corner, the starting defensive corps is taking shape.
Who will headline the first pairing alongside Adam Fox with Ryan Lindgren out?
Ryan Lindgren is out of the lineup due to an injury for the next several weeks, creating an opening in the first defensive pairing alongside Adam Fox. The Lindgren-Fox pairing is the Rangers’ best but they will have to make do without one-half of the duo on the ice to begin the season.
The Blueshirts are toying with a few different ideas to patch up the first pairing. They could potentially elevate K’Andre Miller and have him play alongside Fox, rather than on the second pairing with Jacob Trouba. That has been the team’s strategy so far, however, making such a move causes a reshuffling among the other two pairings.
The Rangers could give a couple of youngsters a chance
During Sunday morning’s practice, the Rangers featured two young defensemen in their second pairing, per Mollie Walker of The New York Post. Playing alongside each other on the second pairing were 23-year-old defenseman Zac Jones and prospect Vincent Mancini.
Both Jones and Mancini turned heads and drew attention during the preseason. Jones always seemed like a likely addition to the regular season roster as he has a decent amount of NHL playing time already under his belt. He filled in for the injured Trouba last season, taking the ice for 31 games and totaling nine points.
Mancini, meanwhile, has yet to make his NHL debut but that could happen sooner rather than later. The 22-year-old impressed throughout the preseason, making plays on both ends of the ice. The Jones-Mancini pairing could bring a spark to the Blueshirts’ defensive corps.
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Which version of Jacob Trouba will the Rangers get this season?
It’s been a challenging and controversial offseason for Rangers team captain Jacob Trouba. The veteran defenseman was on the trade block this summer and nearly moved, however, he refused to accept any trade and handcuffed the Blueshirts’ ability to upgrade their roster this summer.
Trouba’s play suffered a steep decline in 2023-24. He totaled 22 points with a -4 rating in 69 regular-season games and was frequently to blame for the team’s goals allowed during the 2024 postseason. The Rangers need their captain to play better hockey this season or he will absolutely be on the move in the summer of 2025.
Trouba could wind up being demoted to the Rangers’ third defensive pairing this season where he will likely play alongside Braden Schneider, as he has during recent practices. This could be an intriguing pairing with Schneider being a young and rising player in the Blueshirts’ defensive corps.
Ultimately, the Rangers’ play on the defensive end could make or break their season. Their defensive lapses were the team’s undoing last season and improving the performance of the defensive corps will be of the utmost importance.
