The Chicago Blackhawks have landed their primary target for a defenseman just prior to the NHL Entry Draft on Friday night. They’re also paying handsomely to keep him a part of the fold over the next eight or nine seasons. The deal is reportedly for picks and a player — early reports are the two teams are swapping first round picks with Columbus and giving up Adam Boqvist as part of the deal. Pierre LeBrun of TSN reports that the trade call hasn’t happened yet, but the deal is done and details will start rolling in.
David Pagnotta has it as follows: “To CHI: D Seth Jones, 32nd overall pick, 2022 6th RD pick To CBJ: D Adam Boqvist, 12th overall pick, 2021 2nd RD pick, 2022 1st RD pick” The Blue Jackets then proceeded to use the second-round pick acquired from that trade to land Jake Bean from the Carolina Hurricanes.
Immediately following the extension, it is also being reported the Blackhawks plan to sign Jones to an eight-year extension. There is some variation in reporting as to when that deal can get signed and what the annual average salary will be (other reports actually have it as a seven-year deal). Regardless, early reports are that the AAV is a number that has many people asking what Chicago is thinking and what this means for other defenseman moving forward. It’s a huge amount of money and if it comes in anywhere near the $9.5 million that some are reporting, the Blackhawks were clearly prepared to go all-in on the blueliner.
Emily Kaplan of ESPN is reporting: “Seth Jones is signing an 8-year extension w/ Chicago, sources tell ESPN. Blackhawks are receiving a 1st round pick (no. 32 overall) as part of the deal + CBJ 6th in 2022. Still waiting return for CBJ but Seth will get to play with his brother, Caleb, on Chicago’s blue line.”
Jones, 26, is in the final year of a six-year, $32.4 million contract that pays him $5.4 million annually. He made it clear to the Columbus Blue Jackets he had no intentions of returning to the team when that contract ended and it was clear GM Jarmo Kekalainen was going to look for a trade partner and try to move the defenseman while he still held value and could fetch a strong return. There were a number of trade suitors interested, but many were concerned about trading numerous assets for a player who might amount to being nothing more than a one-year rental. The Blackhawks were able to land their guy and extend him.
What Player are the Blackhawks Getting For All That Money?
Chicago recently acquired defenseman Caleb Jones — Seth Jones’ brother — as part of a trade with the Edmonton Oilers for Duncan Keith. The hope was that it might entice Seth to consider Chicago and stay long-term. Clearly it worked.
Over the course of 381 career NHL games, Jones has scored 50 goals and added 173 assists while averaging more than 24 minutes a night. There are some who view him as a fantastic defenseman, while others look at his analytics numbers and suggest he’s extremely overrated. Time will tell how he fares in Chicago. He posted one of the worst seasons of his NHL career with 28 points in 56 games, and was often off his game defensively. Is his regression the beginning of a pattern? Or, was it a result of playing in Columbus where the team was anything but cohesive throughout last season.
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