Peter laviolettes latest move could have just costed his job with the New York rangers as fans are furious
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The New York Rangers will be matching up with the Anaheim Ducks in a late game tonight. However, one move Peter Laviolette has made today has resulted in fans calling for his job.
Today, in what seems like a completely wrong move, Peter Laviolette has removed Zac Jones from the lineup.
In place of Jones? Urho Vaakanainen, who has been a healthy scratch for the Rangers.
Vaakanainen has played only 5 games for the Rangers this season, and scored 11 points ( 2 goals, 9 assists), and only 1 of those points came in his last five games.
That point was an assist that came against the Calgary Flames, while Jones gets pushed out of the lineup for no particular reason, it seems.
At the beginning of March he found himself getting glowing reviews with his stellar play.
Jones leads all Rangers' defensemen with a 57.98% xGF, according to Natural Stat Trick, albeit while mostly playing against opposing teams' bottom-six forwards. He also notched a primary assist in Monday's 4-0 win over the Islanders and is averaging a robust 19:07 time on ice.
And once again has found himself an odd man out of the lineup despite it all. Word was earlier in the season that Jones was being shopped by the Rangers, but was unable to come up with a suitor for the young defenseman.
Truth? It was the asking price! Was he asking Danny Briere prices for Jones?
The Rangers have been reluctant to take off the training wheels, though, leaving Jones resigned to the idea he may have to seek that opportunity elsewhere. Multiple league sources indicated they've shopped him in recent weeks, but have yet to find a team willing to meet their price.
Which makes us wonder, what is the long-term plan for Jones and the Rangers? They won't send him back to the AHL, but instead would rather him ride pine every night and give his spot to depth defenseman who haven't earned that spot in the lineup.
Seems like bad decision-making at all levels in the Rangers organization right now, which has led us to where we're at.
Jones has played 42 games for the Rangers and scored 11 points (1 goal, 10 assists) and has been richly rewarded with another healthy scratch.
Previously on NYRangersInsider
| POLL | ||
MARS 28 | 1080 ANSWERS Peter laviolettes latest move could have just costed his job with the New York rangers as fans are furious Do you think Head Coach Peter Laviolette of the New York Rangers has mistreated defenseman Zac Jones? | ||
| Yes | 859 | 79.5 % |
| No | 221 | 20.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
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