Rangers grant Zac Jones permission to seek a trade

Per Elliotte Friedman and others, the Rangers have granted defenseman Zac Jones permission to seek a trade. Jones, who was playing just fine all season, has been a healthy scratch for seemingly no reason whatsoever. Sure, Jones isn’t perfect, but his puck moving is sorely missed as the Rangers still can’t get out of their own zone on a consistent basis. This while far inferior defensemen play big minutes. It’s been frustrating for us as fans and Jones.

With the Rangers granting Zac Jones permission to seek a trade, it seems one is all but inevitable, likely before the trade deadline. This is yet another example of poor talent evaluation on the blue line, something that has plagued the Rangers for the last 20 years.

Jones may not be a top pairing defenseman, but he’s a better option on the third pair than everyone else thrown out there this season. It’s disappointing.