Ahead of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks made a blockbuster trade to acquire a new number one defenseman. By trading defenseman Adam Boqvist, a 2021 2nd round pick, and a 2022 1st round pick, in addition to a pick swap with pick No. 12 going the other way, the Blackhawks acquired defenseman Seth Jones from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
At the time, the trade was heavily scrutinized. However, those voices grew louder when Jones was inked to a monstrous eight-year, $76 million contract that carries a $9.5 million AAV. The deal also includes a full no-movement clause. The backlash of the deal was loud, but not entirely warranted. Jones took a lot of heat for a deal that Stan Bowman was willing to sign off on.
Fast forward a few seasons, and Jones is in year 2 of that huge contract (he had one year remaining on his old deal in year 1). In addition, Jones is one of the leaders and faces of a team that is currently in the basement of the NHL standings. Jones was expecting to come in and help compete with the likes of Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and others. Now, he's mentoring the likes of Alex Vlasic, Kevin Korchinski, Isaak Phillips, and Louis Crevier while logging huge minutes on the backend.
Despite an unexpected change of direction from the franchise, Jones is still doing his part and playing some really good hockey. The fans who don't see the whole story will call him a bust, waste of space, and any other negative comment you can think of. However, those who can clearly see his value will agree with one statement...
Stop disrespecting Seth Jones.
The Numbers
Jones' on-paper numbers might not be what fans would expect from a top defenseman. Although Jones is averaging 25:51 of ice time (which is third among all NHL skaters), his 18 points (one goal, 17 assists) are far from the top of the scoring ranks amongst defensemen. That said, Jones is doing exactly what a bottom-feeding Blackhawks team needs from a top defenseman right now.
As shown by JFresh Hockey, Jones' underlying numbers put him in a very respectable position for what he's doing. Although the trade might still be looked down upon, the player should not garnish the hate that he is receiving. In fact, his 12 goals in 2022-23 and 51 points in 2021-22 were among the best totals of his career. He's still producing with the Blackhawks and will continue to do so as the team improves.
Jones is still stepping up offensively and pushing play forward. On defense, he's getting it done by getting the puck out of the zone, with solid success there. The Blackhawks are a bad team as a whole, but Jones' individual underlying numbers are certainly a bright spot given the state of the roster.
Stop Hating on Seth Jones
At the end of the day, Blackhawks fans need to stop disrespecting and hating on Seth Jones. Given the state of the team, he is doing everything you can ask for from a top defenseman.
At only 29 years old, Jones should still have a number of good seasons in the tank over the duration of his big contract. Although his time on ice will tick down as he moves on throughout his career, Jones can still provide a ton of value to the Blackhawks. As the team and the personnel around Jones improves in the coming seasons, his production should tick up as people hope and expect.
Stop disrespecting Seth Jones. The louder the disrespect gets, the more the lack of hockey understanding and knowledge becomes apparent within the fanbase. Know the numbers, watch the play, and stop making judgements solely on contract numbers and glory stats.
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