Julian Gaudio Thu, October 15, 2026 at 8:57 PM UTC · 3 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the Florida Panthers pulled the trigger on a Seth Jones trade, fans around the NHL had mixed reactions.
While Jones was a highly touted prospect heading into the 2013 NHL draft and was stellar in the early parts of his career, Jones failed to live up to expectations with the Chicago Blackhawks . Blackhawks and NHL fans heavily scrutinized him before the trade, which is why reactions were so mixed.
But since joining the Panthers prior to the 2025 trade deadline, all Jones has done is arguably perform as the Panthers' best defenseman.
Jones has taken over the top power-play unit and is the team's best offensive threat on the man advantage and at 5-on-5 from the blueline. In 80 regular-season games since joining the Panthers, Jones has notched 10 goals and 48 points. He also leads the team in average time on ice in that period, playing 24:12.
In 2026-27, his 25:52 of ice time ranks seventh in the NHL and leads the Panthers by more than four minutes. While Gustav Forsling deservedly earns praise for his defensive game, Jones has morphed into the team's No. 1 defenseman.
On Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets , a former team of Jones, the 32-year-old recorded four assists, matching a franchise record.
This was just another great night in what's becoming quite routine for Jones.
"I've played with a lot of great players this year," Jones said after the win . "I try to do my part and be the best player I can be out there – whether it's 5-on-5 or special teams. I'm making some plays to some great players, and they're putting the puck in the net."
Brady Takchuk Picks Up Hat Trick, Matthew Tkachuk Logs Five Assists As Panthers Dominate In ColumbusA historic second-period surge saw the Tkachuk siblings rewrite record books as Brady's natural hat trick fueled a blowout victory during a masterclass of family chemistry in Columbus.
While Jones was modest in his response, coach Paul Maurice and teammate Brady Tkachuk were quick to acknowledge his stellar start to the season.
"He had a great summer of training with Aaron Ekblad," Maurice said. "They spent the entire time here, for the most part, in Florida. They trained hard. He's a fit, fit man. He's a little faster with everything he does and has got a little more confidence."
"He's been excellent all year," said Tkachuk. "He's played some big minutes for our team."
Jones has been eating up minutes for the Panthers, and he's had a positive impact. He's recorded one goal and seven points in seven games, ranking tied for fifth in points among defensemen.
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Source: Sports
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