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One of Stan Bowman's final gifts to the Chicago Blackhawks organization before his termination was trading for and subsequently extending the defenseman who's next up in our player grades. Seth Jones arrived in Chicago via Columbus in a draft-day trade back in 2021. Fans weren't thrilled with the move at the time, but Jones responded well with a 51-point season and over 26 minutes of ice time per night.
Jones' ice time regressed in 2022-23, but he still averaged nearly 24:30 per night. His offensive numbers declined, but a decent 37-point season followed over 72 games. In 2023-24, more was expected from Seth Jones after Jake McCabe was traded and he was needed to be the top guy on both sides of the ice.
Story of the Season
Seth Jones' 2023-24 season was plagued by some injuries as he suited up for 67 games. Jones managed 31 points (eight goals, 23 assists) with backloaded production. Although his numbers weren't great, Jones was producing on a Blackhawks team that was deprived of offense.
Jones deserves some respect on his name. He was on a 39-point pace had he played a full season. Furthermore, he helped carry the offense down the stretch. In the final 20 games of the season, Jones posted seven goals and six assists. Expected to be a shooter from the blue line, Jones really delivered in the latter part of the season and could build off of that number in the 2024-25 campaign.
Jones' production was certainly affected by the Blackhawks' lack of team offense and the ask for him to excel on both ends of the ice. Entering the 2024-25 season, more talent and defensively focused players on the blue line should give Jons more offensive opportunities.
Player Grades
Jonnie Nonnie's Grade: B+
Seth Jones receives far too much backlash for a capable No. 1 defenseman. Yes, everybody knows he carries a large salary cap hit. Jones remained mostly steady on the back end and chipped in 31 points all while eating the most minutes per game of any Blackhawks skater. In doing so, he helped Alex Vlasic flourish into a shutdown blue-liner, which is a major boost to the organization. In fact, I enjoyed Jones' contributions so much that he'd get an A from me if not for an early-season IR stint that cost him several games.
Tony Marchese's Grade: B+
There's been a lot of talk from both of my Four Feathers cohosts this season about respecting Seth Jones' game. There's a good reason for that. If you separate the albatross of a contract from the body of work in the 2023-24 season, you'll find yourself talking about a top-pair defenseman on just about every NHL team, one who can log over 25 minutes a night and put up 30-plus points a season. A little more physicality from Jones would be nice to see, but overall he's almost exactly the type of defenseman that Blackhawks fans were crying for the organization to add to the team a few years ago. A solid B+ effort from one of this team's veteran leaders.
Ron Luce's Grade: B+
Respect Seth Jones. A train that I will be your conductor for entering the 2024-25 season, Jones needs to be appreciated. He is absolutely a No. 1 defenseman, has plenty of offensive upside, and is becoming a leader on this team. In a season with a much better supporting cast around the few franchise faces, Jones should improve on his numbers from 2023-24. If he does, Ron Luce may become unbearable. Thanks to an early injury, he also is a tick below an A for me and gets a B+.
What's On Tap Next?
Jones is one of the surefire players on the roster for years to come. Once again repping alternate captain status, Jones will be expected to contribute offensively, log big minutes, and be a true No. 1 defenseman for the Hawks. While Jones remains in his prime, he will surely be able to deliver on those asks. Perhaps a far better statistical season is in store for the veteran.
Tell us if you agree with our grades! What would you give Seth Jones? Let us know at @FourFeathersPod on X and Instagram!
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TODAY'S BEST
The Market Hasn't Been Vibrant': Maple Leafs Facing Difficult Roadblock Trading Forward
Calle Jarnkrok appears to be on his way out of Toronto, but thus far, the market to trade him hasn't been as good as Brad Treliving had initially hoped. After some intriguing moves this off-season, including several trades to acquire forwards from the West Coast, the Toronto Maple Leafs have found themselves with a logjam of forwards heading into the 2025/26 season. That's led to the belief that one of Scott Laughton, Steven Lorentz, Nick Robertson, David Kampf or Calle Jarnkrok are likely on their way out of Toronto, although the team are now facing some difficulties with the latter. The team originally believed that there would be a market for Jarnkrok heading into the off-season, but according to a report from The Fourth Period, the market on the veteran forward has not been vibrant to say the least. 'The market hasn't been vibrant, to this point, but the Leafs will continue to dangle him' At 33-years of age, Jarnkrok has played in just 71 games over his two seasons with Toronto, tallying 28 points in that time, and given his injury history and his lack of production, this is a team that may simply be stuck with the Swede until his contract runs out. That contract carries a $2.1 million salary cap hit and runs out at the end of the 2025/26 campaign, so whether they move him or not, they'll be able to move on after next season, but given how badly this team needs to move on from the logjam of forwards currently in their bottom-six, don't be surprised to see them get aggressive and find a way to move him.
Why as many as 100 NFL players are facing fines and potential suspension
There is not a bigger sporting event in North America than the Super Bowl, and tickets are only getting more expensive every year. There is also a ridiculous secondary market for tickets where seats sell for well above the original face value. It is usually fans or ticket resellers going for a quick profit. But as was reported on Friday, sometimes it can be players in the NFL looking to make a profit. According to multiple reports, including the Associated Press and ESPN, more than 100 players are facing fines and potential suspensions for selling their allotment of tickets to this year's Super Bowl between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs for above face value. Players are reportedly facing fines of one-and-a-half times the face value they originally paid for the tickets, while they are also prevented from purchasing tickets to the Super Bowl for the next seasons. The Associated Press obtained a memo from the NFL detailing the violation and investigation. That memo was as follows: “Our initial investigation has determined that a number of NFL players and coaches, employed by several NFL Clubs, sold Super Bowl tickets for more than the ticket’s face value in violation of the Policy. This long-standing League Policy, which is specifically incorporated into the Collective Bargaining Agreement, prohibits League or Club employees, including players, from selling NFL game tickets acquired from their employer for more than the ticket’s face value or for an amount greater than the employee originally paid for the ticket, whichever is less. We are in the process of completing our investigation into this matter, but the investigation has revealed that club employees and players sold their tickets to a small number of ‘bundlers’ who were working with a ticket reseller to sell the Super Bowl tickets above face value.” If players are not willing to pay the fine, they could be facing suspension from the league. It seems unlikely that any of the players — none of whom have been named, or their teams — would refuse to pay such a fine. It's also one of those moments where you can say, professional athletes — they're still normal people trying to make a quick buck. The most logical answer here is perhaps some of the players caught up in this are younger players who have not yet struck it rich on a big contract or perhaps even practice squad players who are not making top dollar.
NFLPA reportedly under federal investigation
The ongoing saga with the NFL Players Association has taken another turn, as the organization is also reportedly the subject of a federal investigation. ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. and Kalyn Kahler reported on Friday that there is an ongoing criminal investigation involving the NFLPA regarding potential misuse of funds and self-enrichment of union officials. A senior union attorney sent a memo to NFLPA officials this week informing them of the federal probe. The document states that the NFLPA is "now on notice of financial actions that may be criminal" and that the union faces "immediate threats requiring prompt actions," according to ESPN. While the document did not specify which individuals are part of the criminal investigation, the notice was sent days after executive director Lloyd Howell Jr. and director of strategy J.C. Tretter resigned from their positions with the NFLPA. Howell was accused of misusing union funds and faced other troubling allegations. Tretter resigned because he felt like he was left to take the heat for the scandal that has been unfolding, though he has denied any wrongdoing. The NFLPA is searching for an interim executive director. ESPN reports that the memo sent to union officials this week warns that potentially hiring an outside executive director might not be a wise move without knowing exactly how deep "the problems may be." Howell was the executive director of the NFLPA for two years.
Sherrone Moore says Michigan will do away with controversial celebration
Michigan and Ohio State are sure to play another spirited game on the gridiron this season, but it sounds like there will be no flag planting afterward regardless of the outcome. Michigan won its fourth straight game against Ohio State last season, and the Wolverines' latest victory was the biggest upset the rivalry has seen in years. The eventual national champion Buckeyes were ranked No. 2 in the country when an unranked Michigan team went into Columbus and beat them, 13-10. A huge scrum broke out after the game when Michigan players stood on Ohio State's midfield logo and pretended to plant their flag in enemy territory. The brawl got so out of hand that stadium police wound up using pepper spray. While speaking with reporters on Thursday, Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said his players will not be partaking in any flag-planting activity going forward. "There will be no more flag planting. There will be no more grabbing the flag," Moore said. "We talked about our new tradition and what we do when we win a game is go beat the band, go sing our (fight song) and stay over there until the other team departs. That's how we'll operate — shake hands after the game, show sportsmanship, be cordial." While there has been no formal ban of flag planting, Ohio State coach Ryan Day also expressed opposition to the act after last year's incident. Ohio State and Michigan have one of the best rivalries in sports, so there is always going to be bad blood between the two programs. Moore and Day are doing what they can to make sure things don't get out of hand again the next time their teams meet.
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