Zac Jones, a former defenseman for the New York Rangers from 2020 to 2025, has been recognized as the top defenseman in the American Hockey League (AHL) by winning the Eddie Shore Award for the 2025-26 season. Now playing for the Buffalo Sabres, Jones excelled with the Rochester Americans, leading all AHL defensemen with 62 points (10 goals, 52 assists) in 60 games. This achievement marks him as only the second defenseman in the league's 90-year history to top the assists leaderboard, a feat last achieved by Craig Levie in the 1980-81 season. Despite showing promise, Jones faced challenges during his time with the Rangers, where he recorded 28 points over 115 NHL games but struggled to gain the trust of multiple coaches. After not receiving a qualifying offer from New York, he signed a one-year, two-way contract with Buffalo. Jones's success in the AHL highlights the Rangers' need for puck-moving defensemen, a position they are looking to strengthen in the upcoming offseason.