New York Rangers Rumors: Zac Jones Becoming Trade Candidate

The New York Rangers are entering the season with a surplus of defensemen, and it could lead to Zac Jones being dealt before the start of the season.

According to The Athletic's Arthur Staple, he believes that the Rangers would be likelier to trade Jones rather than utilizing him as a seventh defenseman. At this juncture, it seems that Jones will be an extra on the Rangers' NHL roster, as he is no longer waive eligible and Erik Gustafsson is ahead of him on their depth chart.

Jones is a young defenseman with upside, but he simply may not fit into the Rangers' win-now window. The 22-year-old appeared in 16 games this past season for the Rangers, where he had one goal, one assist, and a minus-2 rating. He also posted eight goals and 23 assists in 54 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack.

There are likely several teams out there who would be willing to take a chance on Jones because of his potential. Alas, we will need to wait and see if the Blueshirts decide to move him from here.