Since I know this is the most popular topic in the comments section here and on the social medias, let’s have at it! Greg Wyshynski dropped his bold, shocking predictions for all 32 teams in the NHL this season and his Blackhawks call was… wait for it… Seth Jones gets traded! Here’s part of his rationale:
The NHL isn’t populated with 29-year-old defensemen who can skate top-pairing minutes (25:29 per game on average for Jones last season). His contract looks less elephantine with each passing season. This could be the season where Jones gets moved if the right situation presents itself to GM Kyle Davidson, who is not the GM who traded for and signed Jones to that contract.
So here’s the thing: he’s absolutely right that the NHL isn’t populated with still relatively-young defensemen who can give you more than 25 minutes per night. And he’s also right that the $9.5M cap hit is less of a “problem” with each passing year that the cap goes up. And, to further that point, it is not an issue for the Blackhawks now and won’t be even as they start extending young players like Connor Bedard because general manager Kyle Davidson has effectively cleared the deck for the coming offseasons with short-term deals.
There are three big questions we have to consider when talking about a potential Jones trade:
- First: Does Seth want out? He has some trade protection in his contract (the Bowman Special) so he has the ability in some regards to impact the process. He didn’t come to Chicago to babysit a rebuild and he’s been pretty up front about not wanting to spend his prime on a team that’s rebuilding.
- Second: How much salary would the Blackhawks have to eat in the deal with five years remaining on Jones’ contract after the 2024-25 season? And what assets would the Blackhawks either get back or have to attach to him to make a deal viable?
- Third: Do the Blackhawks feel they have enough depth on the blue line — and, more importantly, are comfortable with another younger player stepping into a significant NHL role sooner than later. Because, while some folks have issues with Jones’ performance since coming to Chicago, the reality brings me back to the point Wyshynski made about there not being a lot of relatively young — on, and right-handed by the way — defensemen on the market to replace him at 25 minutes per night.
The answers to these three important questions could all be pretty simple. If a team asks about Jones, and he likes the fit, and the cost of the deal/return for the Blackhawks makes sense for the organization AND the Blackhawks are ready to promote another young defenseman to a top role at some point this season… then there could be a match.
Unfortunately it’s never that simple in professional sports — especially when there’s a no-trade clause involved.
(And, for those who read his full breakdown of the prediction: no, I don’t think Bowman trading Darnell Nurse for Jones makes sense for the Blackhawks).