Throughout this season, veteran defenseman Seth Jones has been the focus of a rather unsettling trend: most of the headlines he makes are from what he says off the ice. As the calendar flipped from February to March with the Blackhawks in the middle of what would end up being a seven-game losing streak, Jones became more vocal about his displeasure on the team.
After the final game of the Blackhawks’ season last Thursday, Jones was once again asked about what it’s like playing on a rebuilding team, and he again didn’t hold back:
“I’ve just tried to be positive to the media and understand the situation we’re in as an organization. But I have not been happy by any stretch of the imagination.”
– Seth Jones
It’s hard to blame Jones for the sentiments he’s expressed. He’s 29 years old and seemingly in the prime of his career. He’s overflowing with on-ice talent, logging 25-plus meaningful minutes on a nightly basis. It’s clear he didn’t sign his massive eight-year extension to play on a bottom-feeder team without the chance to play important hockey games.
Still, Jones has seemed to take the losses harder than some of his veteran teammates. For example, Connor Murphy, who is currently the longest-tenured Blackhawk after being traded to Chicago in 2017, looked at the team’s rebuild from a different angle.
“Perspective is key. It’s really easy to look at the timeline of your career or your own interests. Everyone has interest in winning — winning the Cup and going to the playoffs — but sometimes you think of more when you were that age… it’s only going to breed learning and lessons that guys can take forward into winning seasons.”
– Connor Murphy
Even in his end-of-season media availability, Jones was adamant that he’s ready to win, emphasizing he “wants to see results now.”
But what if those results don’t happen? The Blackhawks’ starting lineup is currently being flooded with young talent on both ends of the ice, and while this team expects to improve next season, they won’t be a Stanley Cup contender and are still likely a few years away from the playoffs.
If Jones doesn’t see enough light at the end of the tunnel, his recent comments suggest there’s not much keeping him from requesting a trade to a contender. If the Blackhawks were to fulfill such a request, it would financially cripple them. Chicago has no problem paying Jones $9.5 million annually to serve as a staple on their top defensive pairing, but his contract is still regarded as one of the worst deals in the entire NHL. To move it, the Blackhawks would have to eat a large chunk of his cap hit, especially since his desired destination likely wouldn’t have limitless space under the cap. Still, Jones holds all the cards with his no-move clause, meaning he could essentially pick a destination were he to request a trade.
At this point, Jones requesting a trade from Chicago would be a long shot… or would it? The veteran blueliner hasn’t specifically mentioned leaving the Blackhawks, but he’s made it clear he wants to win, and he wants to win now. If the Blackhawks can’t make that happen, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Jones eventually asked to leave, putting Chicago in an impossible situation.
