Rangers Sign Big Defenseman to Entry-Level Deal

The New York Rangers have made a roster move, as they have signed prospect defenseman Victor Mancini to a two-year, entry-level contract.

#NYR have agreed to terms with defenseman Victor Mancini on a two-year, entry-level contract. Full details ➡️ https://t.co/YEPpC4H9si pic.twitter.com/iOzK8d17bK
— x - New York Rangers (@NYRangers) April 2, 2024

The Rangers selected Mancini in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft with the 159th overall pick. The 6-foot-4 defenseman has spent each of the last three seasons with the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where he has emerged as a hard-hitting and steady shutdown defenseman.

Mancini, 21, is coming off a strong season with the school, as he set new career highs with four goals and 10 points. It was a nice step in the right direction for Mancini, and he has now earned this entry-level deal with the Rangers because of it. In 110 career games over his three seasons with Nebraska-Omaha, he had 23 points.

Mancini will likely need a few years to develop in the AHL before he makes a real push to land a spot on the Rangers' roster. However, there is no question that the big defenseman has promise, and it will be intriguing to see how much of an impact he makes with the Rangers organization following signing this entry-level deal from here.