Victor Mancini earns Rangers ‘Broadway Hat’ in steady NHL debut

Victor Mancini earned the Broadway Hat from his New York Rangers teammates as a nod to playing his first game in the NHL on Wednesday, a convincing 6-0 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. It wasn’t a light show, but his play was steady, and that’s exactly what the Rangers needed from the rookie defenseman.

The 22-year-old logged 17:27 in ice time, skating on the third defensive pair with Zac Jones. Mancini was not on ice for any of New York’s six goals.

Oh, and he also calmly skated his rookie lap before the rest of the Rangers joined him for warmups.

His numbers on Wednesday night were noteworthy considering the position he was drafted, the 159th selection in the fifth round back in 2022. According to NHL Edge Mancini registered five bursts of speed of 18 to 20 miles per hour and tallied one shot on goal at 72 miles per hour against the Penguins.

He also skated in 41 seconds on the penalty kill, combined with his 16:46 at even strength for 20 total shifts in his NHL debut.

Mancini looked poised in his NHL debut, though he was caught scrambling on a few shifts. Still, it was a positive start, on that took place in front of his family, who trekked from Michigan to catch his first game.

“I’ll be at a little bit of a loss for words, I think,” Mancini explained on Monday . “It’ll be very special to share that with my family as well, whenever that first game might be. It’s going to be really special because I owe a lot to my parents and my family. To share that moment with them will be the most fun part for me.”

Related: 3 Rangers takeaways from 6-0 win in season opener

Victor Mancini makes debut after impressive preseason with Rangers

Mancini escaped the final cut on defense when Ryan Lindgren was placed on injured reserve because of an upper-body injury. Lindgren has resumed skating , and took part in the morning skate Wednesday in Pittsburgh.

But the kid, who was playing at University of Nebraska-Omaha this time last year, outlasted four-year professional Matthew Robertson, fringe NHL veteran Ben Harpur, and the rugged Connor Mackey toearn his spot in the opening-night lineup.

Mancini was a pleasant surprise in preseason play, using his 6-foot-3, 229-pound frame and impressive skating ability to transition pucks and walk the blue line smoothly, playing a two-way game. He registered two goals and an assist in four preseason games.

He is one of 11 defensemen drafted by the Rangers to make his NHL debut on the blue line in a Rangers opening-night contest. The most recent of those defenders are K’Andre Miller (2021) and Marc Staal (2009).

He began his professional career at the end of the 2023-24 season with the Hartford Wolf Pack, playing in seven contests with the Rangers AHL affiliate. He quickly rose the ranks and rounded out the top-four defensive unit during the Calder Cup Playoffs last spring.

In college, he dressed for 110 games over three seasons, scoring 23 points (four goals, 19 assists).

And on Saturday night, he’ll find himself under the bright lights on Broadway, making his Rangers home debut at Madison Square Garden against the Utah Hockey Club.

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