Seth Jones: Player Profile

Seth Jones Drafted Fourth Overall by the Nashville Predators with the 4^th Overall Pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft

Seth Jones was drafted by the Nashville Predators with the fourth overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. Going into his draft year, Jones was seen as a skilled defenseman and a good skater for his size. This talent was evident almost immediately for the Predators. In his first season with the Predators, Jones scored six goals and added 19 assists for a total of 25 points in 77 games. Additionally, Jones had 99 blocked shots, which was the third most on the team that season. Jones was paired with Ryan Ellis for 130 minutes during his rookie season.

Jones played the entire 82-game schedule during his sophomore season. In those 82 games, Jones scored eight goals and had 19 assists. The one time that the Predators did make the playoffs with Jones as part of the roster, the team won the Western Conference first round in six games. In those six games, Jones had four assists. While still a young NHL player, Jones felt he needed a change of scenery to win a Stanley Cup. This would not be the only time this would happen.

After spending the first four seasons of his NHL career with the Nashville Predators, Jones was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for center Ryan Johansen in January of 2016. This trade was the biggest trade of the NHL season at the time and was seen at the time as a trade of young stars. His experience in a leadership role has proven invaluable to any team looking to fill that void. Would this trait make Jones indispensable for the Blue Jackets?

Seth Jones Traded Once Again

Jones was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks from the Blue Jackets in January for two first-round draft picks and defenseman Adam Boqvist. This trade signaled the beginning of a rebuild for the Blue Jackets. In four seasons with the Blackhawks, Jones was one of the leaders on the team as an alternate captain. The Blackhawks were one of the youngest teams in the NHL during the time that Jones was on their roster when they drafted Connor Bedard number one overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

After being traded once again from the Blackhawks to the Florida Panthers, Jones will play his second season with the Panthers this season. The Panthers are looking to get back to the Stanley Cup playoffs after they won back-to-back Stanley Cups. The team missed the playoffs last season due to several injuries that come with the amount of “playoff hockey.” In only seven games played for the Panthers during the 2025-26 season due to a broken foot suffered in April, Jones scored seven goals and added 25 assists.

The fact that Jones is a well-liked teammate made the comments given by his former Blackhawk, Nick Foligno, before the beginning of the 2025-26 season mystifying. “We’ve gotten rid of some distractions. Sometimes, when you make hard decisions, they end up benefiting the group. Everyone here is pulling on the same rope (now).” Jones said he was taken aback by these comments but did not have any ill will towards Foligno.