BOSTON — Peter Laviolette has been methodical about each and every decision he’s made since the start of his first training camp as head coach of the Rangers.

The way the players have been divided up each day has been noticeably intentional.

The collection of players who competed in the Rangers’ first preseason game of the season Sunday was definitely chosen for a reason, as well.

So when Zac Jones finished with the highest ice time among all Rangers players in the club’s 3-0 loss to the Bruins at TD Garden, it probably wasn’t a coincidence.

“It’s definitely encouraging,” Jones told The Post after the game. “Biggest thing for me this year is I know there’s going to be ups and downs. Last year, I didn’t really know how to handle them as well. I’m coming into this year with a good mindset and taking the punches as they come. I’m just rolling with them. I’m excited for the year.”

Jones is vying for the sixth defenseman role for a second straight season after the Rangers re-signed him to a two-year, $1.625 million deal in June.

The Rangers made the deal knowing that Jones would once again be a leading contender for the last spot on defense, but the organization also brought in one of Laviolette’s former players, Erik Gustafsson, to compete for the job and provide a safety net if the young blueliner couldn’t seize the opportunity.

It was Jones, however, who got the first nod for game action.

Laviolette already knows Gustafsson from their days together in Washington and has heaped praise on the 31-year-old veteran.

Sunday night appeared to be about familiarizing himself with Jones.

“I thought he did a good job at moving pucks,” Laviolette said of Jones. “I thought he did a good job on top on the power play. The power play had some looks and chances, as well; just not able to capitalize.”

Jones logged 23:33 of ice time in the loss, primarily alongside Connor Mackey for the first two periods and then Braden Schneider in the third.

The five power plays the Rangers earned throughout the game naturally inflated Jones’ time on the ice, but Laviolette got the extended look at the UMass product quarterbacking the power play that he probably wanted.

The 22-year-old played 6:38 of the 10 total minutes the Rangers had with the man advantage.

He was relatively steady at the blue line and made crisp passes inside despite the Rangers going scoreless on the power play.

“I love quarterbacking the power play,” Jones said. “That’s my role. I love being up there. I thought we had some really good plays. [The puck] just wasn’t going in for us tonight.”

Jones made the opening-night roster last season, but the Virginia native was then sent down to AHL Hartford just over two months later.

Splitting the job with Libor Hajek, who is no longer with the Rangers, Jones skated in just 16 NHL games and wasn’t able to get into a groove.

Former head coach Gerard Gallant never played Jones in more than six games in a row.

The constant moving in and out of the lineup was not conducive to setting Jones up for success.

While he chipped in just one goal and one assist during his time with the varsity club last season, Jones scored eight goals and dished 23 assists in 54 games for the Wolf Pack.

Additionally, in nine AHL playoff games, Jones racked up two goals and four assists.

Jones emerged as one of the most consistent blueliners in Hartford, which ultimately led to Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury drawing up the two-year contract.

“I feel more mature, I feel more like a pro now,” said Jones, who added that he feels more at ease having re-signed in the offseason. “This is my fourth full season, and it’s really starting to feel like I’m starting to figure it out a little bit, just as far as being a pro and how to take care of yourself and having the right mindset coming in every day.

“I think that’s the biggest thing for me: I feel more mature this year.”