Zac Jones, the 25-year-old defenseman who absolutely shredded the American Hockey League last season, just locked in a fresh chance with the Utah Mammoth. He signed a two-year, two-way contract worth $875,000 annually at the NHL level. This isn’t just another signing; it’s a huge bet on a player who finally delivered a statement year and proved his offensive game is more than intact, it’s flat-out elite. After years of fighting for a consistent NHL opportunity, Jones made teams notice with his 2025-26 performance.
Jones Dominated The AHL, No Kidding
Seriously, what Jones did last season with the Rochester Americans was ridiculous. He became a driving force from the blue line, putting up numbers no one could ignore. In just 60 games, he bagged 10 goals and dished out 52 assists for a staggering 62 points. That kind of production screams “NHL ready,” and it clearly got him First Team AHL All-Star honors and a spot representing the North Division at his first AHL All-Star Classic. The dude didn’t just play well, he *created* offense like crazy. He led all AHL players in assists. Want more? He also paced the entire league in power-play assists with 36 and power-play points with 38. Among defensemen, he finished first in scoring and led all blueliners with a whopping 168 shots on goal. He was always attacking, always generating. That 10 goals was his career high at any level, and his 52 assists? That more than doubled his previous AHL single-season best of 26 from the 2021-22 season. What a jump!
A Low-Risk, High-Reward Move for Utah
This isn’t just some AHL hotshot with no big-league experience either. The Mammoth are adding a player with some real NHL time under his belt. Jones spent parts of five seasons with the New York Rangers, appearing in 115 games and collecting four goals and 24 assists. He even hit a career-high 46 NHL games in the 2024-25 season, finishing seventh among Rangers defensemen in scoring with 11 points. Before he turned pro, Jones stacked up an impressive resume, too. He helped the University of Massachusetts snag their first national championship in 2020-21, earning Second Team All-American honors and making both the Hockey East and NCAA All-Tournament Teams. Plus, he was the USHL Rookie of the Year in 2018-19, leading all league defensemen with 45 assists. For the Mammoth, this signing is pure genius: a low-risk opportunity to grab a skilled puck-moving defenseman who’s already shown he can absolutely own the AHL.
The next big challenge for Jones? Turning that AHL dominance into a permanent NHL gig. He’s been chasing that since the Rangers picked him 68th overall back in 2019. Can he do it in Utah? Every Mammoth fan will be glued to the ice, waiting to see if this offensive wizard can stick in the show.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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