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Panthers Announce Seth Jones Update After Winter Classic

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jan 3, 2026 4:45 AM ET

The Florida Panthers suffered an early setback during their Winter Classic appearance against the New York Rangers on Friday.

Defenseman Seth Jones left the game just minutes into the first period after taking a puck near the left collarbone on a shot from Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere.

Lafreniere's shot deflected off a stick before striking Jones, who immediately exited the game and headed to the medical tent. Jones did not return after the first intermission and was officially ruled out with an upper-body injury.

Jones, who was playing his 900th NHL game, had only just been named to Team USA's 2026 Olympic roster earlier in the day. Given the uncertainty of his injury and the potential rehab timeline, there's a chance he may miss the international tournament next February.

Maurice said Jones will get evaluated tomorrow.

“Doesn’t look terrible right now,” he said.
— Jameson Olive (@JamesonCoop) January 3, 2026

After the game, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice addressed the situation, sharing a positive update about Jones' status.

“We’ll get him looked at tomorrow,” Panthers coach Paul Maurice said. “It doesn’t look terrible right now. He’s just got to be looked at tomorrow.”

Maurice clarified that the franchise will know more once Jones undergoes a full evaluation early in the weekend to determine the extent of the injury.

No further details have been made available by the team since the end of the game and Maurice's media availability.

Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones (3) looks on against the Chicago Blackhawks.Navarro-Imagn Images

Jones' injury came in the midst of a strong season for the Panthers blueliner. The 31-year-old veteran has scored 24 points in 40 games and was key in last season's Florida run toward their second consecutive Staley Cup title following a mid-season trade from the Chicago Blackhawks.

Jones' early exit left the Panthers without one of their top defensemen in what turned into a historic 5–1 loss thanks to Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad's hat-trick, the first ever in a Winter Classic event.

Florida (21–16–3) hosts the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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