With Ryan Lindgren nearing a return from an upper-body ailment, the New York Rangers will face a more difficult decision when the 26-year-old defenseman returns to the lineup.
When the season began, it was assumed that youngster Victor Mancini would return to Hartford of the American Hockey League once Lindgren was again healthy. But not so fast right now. Mancini has been so good that it’s debatable whether he or Zac Jones should be removed from the lineup, and Chad Ruhwedel may be sent to the minors instead.
Mancini has done everything to show that he belongs in the NHL with the Rangers. While he has yet to find the scoresheet, he fits in well alongside Jones on the third defense pair.
The 22-year-old defenseman appeared to score his first NHL goal against the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday, but it was disallowed because Matt Rempe was in the crease. Then, on Monday, Mancini generated a golden scoring opportunity for himself with a power rush down the right side, but was denied by Detroit Red Wings goalie Alex Lyon.
Through three games, Mancini has an average TOI of 15:12, is tied for third on the Rangers with seven shots on goal, and is fourth with five blocked shots. He’s large (6-foot-3, 229 pounds) and speedy, and he’s well suited to playing defense in the NHL.
Victor Mancini has excelled in first 3 games with Rangers
With Ryan Lindgren nearing a return to the lineup, the New York Rangers will face some tough decisions regarding their defensive pairings. It seems like the choice will come down to deciding who stays on the third pair between Zac Jones and Marc Mancini. Jones, who is averaging 15:50 of ice time and has one assist so far, is more experienced at the NHL level and has been waiting three years for a consistent spot on the roster.
Mancini, on the other hand, is the only defenseman on the roster who is waivers-exempt, making him the likely candidate to be sent down to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack despite his solid play. Sending down Jones or Chad Ruhwedel (who has been a healthy scratch in the first three games) would require them to clear waivers, a risk the Rangers probably want to avoid.
The return of Lindgren also brings up questions about the defensive pairings. Throughout his career, Lindgren has been paired with Adam Fox, but K’Andre Miller has been playing well alongside Fox in Lindgren’s absence, with the pair conceding just one even-strength goal (in a 4-on-4 situation). The duo of Braden Schneider and Jacob Trouba has also been effective, with Trouba off to a strong start, collecting four assists and a plus-one rating in three games. Schneider has looked comfortable playing on the left side, his off-hand.
The most likely scenario is for Lindgren to reunite with Fox, Miller to rejoin Trouba, and Schneider to move down to pair with Jones. This setup would essentially restore last season’s defensive combinations, with Jones taking over the spot previously held by Erik Gustafsson, who left for the Detroit Red Wings.
An alternative option for coach Peter Laviolette could involve keeping Miller with Fox and trying Lindgren on the second pair with either Schneider or Trouba. This approach would allow Miller and Fox to further develop their chemistry, potentially forming an elite top defensive pairing.
If Mancini does get sent to Hartford, he would benefit from playing significant minutes on the top pairing there, which could aid his development more than being a healthy scratch in New York. He would likely be the first call-up if the Rangers face any injuries on defense.
For now, Lindgren is back in full practice, wearing a bubble face shield for protection. While Laviolette hasn’t set an exact return date, it’s clear Lindgren’s return is imminent. This leaves Mancini with a few more games to showcase his abilities and potentially complicate the decision-making process for the coaching staff.
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