The Utah Mammoth announced today the signing of defenseman Zac Jones to a two-year, two-way contract, with an $875,000 average annual value (AAV) at the NHL level.
About Zac Jones:
- Jones, 25, recorded 10-52–62 and 14 penalty minutes (PIM) in 60 American Hockey League (AHL) games with the Rochester Americans last season, earning selection to the AHL First All-Star Team and representing the North Division at his first AHL All-Star Classic.
- The 5-foot-11, 190-pound defenseman led all AHL skaters in assists, power-play assists (36), and power-play points (38) while pacing blueliners in points and shots on goal (168).
- Jones’ 10 goals in 2025-26 were his most in any season during his junior, collegiate, and professional career, while his 52 assists doubled his previous AHL single-season high (26 in 2021-22).
- He has totaled 28-101–129 and 73 PIM over 168 career AHL contests with the Americans and Hartford Wolf Pack over the past four seasons, and he has added 2-4–6 in 12 career postseason appearances.
- Jones has also played parts of five NHL seasons with the New York Rangers from 2021-25, posting 4-24–28 and 38 PIM in 115 games. He logged a career-high 46 contests for New York in 2024-25, finishing seventh in scoring (1-10–11) among Rangers defensemen.
- Jones played two collegiate seasons at UMass and helped the Minutemen win their first national championship as a sophomore in 2020-21. He was named a Second Team All-American that season, as well as earning selection to both the Hockey East and NCAA All-Tournament Teams.
- He also earned USHL Rookie of the Year honors during his lone season with the Tri-City Storm in 2018-19, leading all USHL defensemen with 45 assists in 56 games.
- The Richmond, Va. native skated for Team USA at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship and won a bronze medal at the 2021 IIHF World Championship.
- Jones was selected by the Rangers in the third round (68th overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft.
