Victor Mancini

Victor Mancini (born May 26, 2002) is an American professional ice hockey defenseman for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career Mancini played in Sweden for the Frölunda HC junior teams in the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons, serving as the team captain the second year. After a stint with the Sioux Falls Stampede and Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League (USHL), he then played college ice hockey for the University of Nebraska Omaha from 2021–22 to 2023–24 seasons. Mancini went undrafted in his first two years of draft eligibility, but while at the University of Nebraska Omaha, Mancini was drafted by the New York Rangers in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL entry draft.

Mancini signed a professional contract with the Rangers in April 2024. He played seven games for the Rangers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, at the end of the 2023–24 season, collecting three assists. He added three assists in 10 playoff games with Hartford.

Mancini had a strong training camp for the Rangers in the fall of 2024. That, along with his ability to play on the left side despite being a right-handed shot, gave Mancini an opportunity to earn a spot on the Rangers opening night roster for the 2024–25 season after an injury to Rangers' regular defenseman Ryan Lindgren. Mancini was demoted to Hartford along with several other waiver-exempt players two days before the start of the regular season in a move to save salary cap space, but was recalled to the Rangers prior to their opening game. He made his NHL debut in the Rangers' opening night game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 9, 2024. He scored his first NHL goal against his home-state team, the Detroit Red Wings, on October 17.

On January 31, 2025, Mancini, center Filip Chytil and a conditional 2025 first-round pick were traded to the Canucks in exchange for forward J. T. Miller, defenseman Erik Brännström and the rights to defenseman Jackson Dorrington.

On June 23, 2025, Mancini won the Calder Cup as a member of the Abbotsford Canucks.

Playing style Upon being drafted, Mancini's main attributes were his strength and physicality.

Early in the 2024–25 season Rangers' head coach Peter Laviolette said of why he was keeping Mancini on the team, despite Lindgren's return:

Personal life Mancini's father Bob Mancini served as the head coach of several college ice hockey teams, including Ferris State University and Michigan Tech, and also helped found USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, and served as a scout for the Edmonton Oilers.

Career statistics Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2018–19 U.S. National Development Team USHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2018–19 Sioux Falls Stampede USHL 3 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2019–20 Frölunda HC J20 38 9 5 14 24 — — — — — 2020–21 Frölunda HC J20 19 5 5 10 10 — — — — — 2020–21 Hanhals IF Div.1 5 1 0 1 2 — — — — — 2020–21 Green Bay Gamblers USHL 33 4 9 13 12 2 0 0 0 0 2021–22 University of Nebraska Omaha NCHC 38 0 5 5 26 — — — — — 2022–23 University of Nebraska Omaha NCHC 32 0 8 8 10 — — — — — 2023–24 University of Nebraska Omaha NCHC 40 4 6 10 8 — — — — — 2023–24 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 7 0 3 3 4 10 0 3 3 6 2024–25 New York Rangers NHL 15 1 4 5 2 — — — — — 2024–25 Hartford Wolf Pack AHL 23 3 7 10 12 — — — — — 2024–25 Abbotsford Canucks AHL 7 1 2 3 2 24 3 5 8 8 2024–25 Vancouver Canucks NHL 16 1 2 3 8 — — — — — 2025–26 Vancouver Canucks NHL 24 0 3 3 7 — — — — — 2025–26 Abbotsford Canucks AHL 33 4 8 12 16 — — — — —NHL totals 55 2 9 11 17 — — — — —

Awards and honors AwardYearRefAHLCalder Cup Champion2025