Panthers trade for Seth Jones accelerates the Leafs’ trade deadline clock

Jones’ $9.5 million salary was considered a non-starter for many, but the Panthers managed to get the Blackhawks to retain $2.5 million for the next five seasons, which makes it all the more manageable. And here’s where the risk assessment comes into play: Jones’ underlying numbers have been poor throughout his four-year tenure with the Blackhawks, but it also masks his true ability. He will no longer be asked to play 24 minutes a night against top competition, rather, he’ll slot in as arguably the NHL’s best No. 4 defenceman on a loaded Panthers team that operates the best defensive system in the NHL.

If the deal ages badly for the Panthers, and it very may well might, it doesn’t matter all too much, as the Panthers are in contention mode and they are flexible enough to remain a contender for the duration of Jones’ tenure. In many ways, Jones is an on-ice comparable to Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly, who makes $7.5 million per year, who is better known for his offensive capabilities, and has often operated as a No. 3 defenceman this season, with the Jake McCabe-Chris Tanev pairing working in the shutdown role.

No one is asking Treliving to be outright irresponsible, but the Panthers provided a stark reminder that the Leafs’ window is right now, and inactivity would be the worst thing at the deadline. Toronto has been linked to Brayden Schenn, and a potential deal may come down to its willingness to meet St. Louis’ reportedly exorbitant price for its 33-year-old captain. Treliving inherited a Maple Leafs team that is so committed to its Core Four plus Morgan Rielly that he’s had to work around the edges during his two seasons, and for the most part, has done well, particularly with defence and goaltending options.

It’s time for a bold move, and while previous rentals haven’t always worked out (Ryan O’Reilly, Nick Foligno) there’s a timeline where Mitch Marner walks for nothing, Matthew Knies demands more money than the Maple Leafs can allocate for the restricted free agent, and the team runs back a less talented group up front for 2025-2026. Now is the time to strike, and few know it better than the Leafs’ divisional rival, who are the envy of the NHL at this juncture.

He’s almost certainly busy, working the phones tirelessly for a potential deal, but the Panthers’ trade officially put the Leafs on the clock. It’s your move, Brad Treliving, and it could dictate these pivotal next few months, that are certainly more important than any vague notion of what the future may entail.