Rangers’ third-pair tinkering comes with ripple effect down roster

Head coach Peter Laviolette continues to artifact pinch his 3rd brace connected defense. 

After deploying 4 different combinations to information retired nan Rangers defense corps successful nan erstwhile 5 games, partially owed to Ryan Lindgren’s return from injured reserve, Laviolette forged a caller pairing successful Braden Schneider and Victor Mancini during believe astatine MSG Training Center connected Monday. 

Schneider was backmost connected his offside connected nan near aft returning to his beardown broadside for nan first clip this play against nan Ducks Saturday night.

Mancini, connected nan different hand, was backmost successful nan apical six aft serving arsenic a patient scratch successful nan aforesaid aforementioned game. 

That each projects to bump Zac Jones from nan lineup for nan 4th clip this play Tuesday nighttime against nan Capitals. 

“Listen, nobody’s happy erstwhile they get scratched, that’s for sure,” nan 24-year-old defenseman said past week. “You tin inquire anybody successful this locker room. They’re not going to beryllium happy erstwhile they’re coming retired of nan lineup. It is what it is. It’s a business decision. I benignant of conscionable took it for what it was and utilized it arsenic a reset almost. 

“Tried not to deliberation astir it arsenic being nan seventh aliases being nan overseas man out, much of conscionable return a reset, return a break, clear your caput a small spot and whenever I get that adjacent opportunity return advantage of it.” 

After waiving Chad Ruhwedel and subsequently assigning nan seasoned defenseman to Hartford, nan Rangers are carrying 1 other defenseman. 

Laviolette has ever preached keeping players progressive and successful nan mix, truthful nan Rangers person fundamentally rotated their bottommost pairing connected a game-to-game ground since Lindgren became available. 

Jimmy Vesey was a afloat subordinate successful Monday’s practice, shedding nan reddish non-contact jersey he’d been wearing since he rejoined nan squad aft sustaining a lower-body wounded successful nan preseason. 

With 2 games near to miss for his stint connected semipermanent injured reserve, Vesey could return to nan Rangers lineup arsenic soon arsenic Sunday against nan Islanders. 

Vesey’s pending readiness surely ties into nan measurement Laviolette has handled nan 4th line.

The anticipation is that Vesey would beryllium reinserted into nan lineup immediately, which intends 1 of either Adam Edstrom, Jonny Brodzinski aliases Matt Rempe (depending connected who is playing) would travel out. 

One of those 3 players would person to beryllium sent to Hartford upon Vesey’s return. 

Amid Rempe’s call-up, Jake Leschyshyn was sent backmost to Hartford.