Head coach Peter Laviolette reinserted Zac Jones into the Rangers’ lineup, after the 24-year-old defenseman served as a healthy scratch in the previous three games.
As a result, rookie Victor Mancini came out of the lineup and was a healthy scratch for the first time this season for the Rangers’ 2-1 win over the Ducks at the Garden.
“I’d love to have Zac in there,” Laviolette said after practice at MSG Training Center on Friday. “You can only dress six defensemen. Somebody doesn’t have to be playing poorly in order to come out of the lineup. Sometimes they do. But sometimes you’re just caught with numbers, your team is winning or somebody has elevated their play. Different things happen on a daily basis.
“There are conversations. I’ve talked to him about it. I’m sure he doesn’t like it. Players shouldn’t like it. They want to play and I don’t blame them for that. That’s a good thing, a positive thing. He’ll get back in there and when he does, we’ve got a lot of confidence in him.”
Ryan Lindgren coming off injured reserve forced the Rangers to realign their defense pairs, but Jones, who played 14:38 in the win over Anaheim, came out of the lineup before Lindgren’s return.
Chad Ruhwedel, who was waived and assigned to AHL Hartford earlier this week, bumped Jones from the lineup against the Maple Leafs.
Lindgren then skated with Mancini in his return, but the duo got caved in by the Panthers.
During practice on Friday, Lindgren skated with captain Jacob Trouba, while Jones lined up on the left of Braden Schneider.
This allowed Schneider to return to his strong side on the right, as opposed to playing on the left of Trouba like he had the first seven games.
“I think he’s played well,” Laviolette said of Jones. “There was some ups and downs. We talked about it. We showed him. It happens with all players, too. He does a lot of good things out there. There’d be no problem if he was in the lineup, but there’s decisions that have to be made. We’re constantly, with young players, coaching them and teaching them.”
Jonathan Quick got the starting nod on Saturday against the Ducks, marking his second start of the season. Quick allowed one goal while making 32 saves.
Ryan Lindgren — who scored at 4:13 of the third period in the win over the Ducks — continues to play in a full face shield after undergoing jaw surgery in the preseason.
“There’s a lot of game time that’s missing when you come out for an extended period of time like he did,” Laviolette said after practice on Friday. “He’s dealing with the whole bubble on the face and dealing with the vision of that and working through that. It’s a big adjustment. I think it’ll keep coming over a matter of time.
“He’s an important part of the team and just to get him reps and minutes and keep getting him opportunities, that’s the only way really to get up to speed once you’ve missed time is to get in there and play the game.”
Brennan Othmann is projected to miss 4-6 weeks of play in Hartford with a lower-body injury.