Rangers rookie defenseman Victor Mancini puts himself on radar with strong camp
Victor Mancini of the Rangers skates during rookie minicamo at the team's training facility in Greenburgh, N.Y., on Sept. 12. Credit: Neil Miller
When the Rangers opened training camp, there seemed to be few spots available to be won by newcomers. Technically, the sixth and seventh defenseman spots were open, but Zac Jones seemed positioned to claim the sixth and veteran Chad Ruhwedel was most people's pick to be the seventh.
But after he scored a goal and added an assist in the Rangers’ preseason opener in Boston Sunday against the Bruins, rookie Victor Mancini, a 22-year-old out of Nebraska-Omaha, suddenly was on the radar, and appeared to insert himself into the competition for a roster spot on defense.
“I've stated that I think he's had a real good camp,’’ Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said of Mancini before the Rangers’ 5-2 victory over the Bruins Thursday at Madison Square Garden. “I thought he was noticeable. We left those games – the rookie games against Philadelphia, I thought he played really well down there. He's looked good in the scrimmages and practices, and he's played well in exhibition. So, yeah, he's in the mix, with others.’’
Mancini, a 6-3, 229-pound, righthanded shooter, was in the lineup Thursday, playing on the third defense pair with Jones. He played 20 minutes, 1 second, took a holding penalty against David Pastrnak, and had two shots on goal.
But Mancini won’t admit to the possibility his performance Sunday had changed anything for him this camp.
“I don't really think it changes everything,’’ Mancini said after the Rangers’ very optional morning skate in Greenburgh. “Obviously, I was very excited to score that goal. But the process doesn't change. You come back to the rink the next day and you’ve got to keep putting in that work. You’ve got to keep working hard … taking care of your body. You know, I think it's awesome, but the process doesn't change.’’
Things got shaken up a little when Ryan Lindgren suffered an upper-body injury in Tuesday’s game after his fight with the Islanders’ Scott Mayfield. Lindgren will be out “on a week-to-week basis,’’ Laviolette said, meaning, if he isn’t ready for opening night Oct. 9 in Pittsburgh, someone will have to replace him in the lineup. And that could mean the Rangers will carry an eighth defenseman at the start of the season, at least until Lindgren is ready to return.
Connor Mackey, who had been in the battle for the sixth and seventh spots, stood in for Lindgren Thursday as Adam Fox’s defense partner and could very much be in play to take Lindgren’s spot on opening night. Ruhwedel, who did not play Thursday, is in the mix too and so is Mancini, a fifth-round pick in the 2022 draft, who styled himself as a two-way defenseman.
Mancini said he never really played on the power play in college, but the Rangers made him the point man on the first power play unit in Boston Sunday. And he produced.
“It was really nice to play the power play,’’ he said. “I'm not going to look into things too much, but being able to get that opportunity was very special, and to go out and play well, I think that was important for me.’’
Blue notes
Adam Fox, Chris Kreider, Brennan Othmann, Jonny Brodzinski and Adam Edstrom (empty-netter) scored the Rangers goals on Thursday. Brett Harrison and Mark Kastelic scored for Boston… Jonathan Quick played the first two periods, and allowed two goals on 12 shots. Louis Domingue played the final period and stopped all 12 shots he faced … The top line of Kreider, Mika Zibanejad and Reilly Smith played its second game together, as did the third line of Will Cuylle, Chytil and Kaapo Kakko. Chytil and Othmann each played their third game of the preseason.
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
