Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones. Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

Maple Leafs dodge a disaster as former trade target struggles massively after deadline deal

Originally posted on Hockey Patrol | By Chris Gerics | Last updated Mar 19, 2025 8:22 AM ET

The Toronto Maple Leafs avoided a potential catastrophe with regards to former trade target Seth Jones, whose arrival in Florida has gone far worse than expected.

When the Maple Leafs lost out on Jones to the Panthers, it looked like the team not only missed adding a premium defenseman but also saw its Atlantic Division rivals get immensely improved thanks to the trade.

Florida looked primed to have a huge run at the end of the year, but with the absences of Matthew Tkachuk, Brad Marchand and Aaron Ekblad, it hasn't been smooth sailing for the Cats.

Well, it looks like those injuries aren't the only thing keeping them from a strong season finish.

Seth Jones Floundering In Florida; Leafs Avoid Disaster?

It's safe to say that so far, Jones' stay in Florida hasn't exactly been the start fans had hoped for. Not only is he letting teams score, but the offensive part of his game has slipped as well. Coming off a terrible Blackhawks team with some decent numbers, it's not a good look.

What's also rough is that Florida traded Spencer Knight and then needed to make a second trade to fill his spot, and now it looks like that deal may go up in smoke.

Florida is in win-now mode clearly, and a repeat was solely the focus of Bill Zito when he made several big trades. But at the same time, it feels he may have rushed things with Jones.

Yes, it's only seven games, but Brandon Carlo has had the same with Toronto and has blown it away defensively so far, even if that cost it an exciting prospect.

Since the trade, he has one assist, a -4 and has triple the amount of giveaways than takeaways. If that's the type of production the Panthers can expect from Jones, then his $9.5M for the next five years is going to be a bitter pill to swallow.

This season, Jones has 28 points in 49 games (7G, 21A) while splitting time with the Chicago Blackhawks and Panthers. He was drafted fourth overall by Nashville in 2013 and spent time with the Predators as well as Columbus in his career.

This article first appeared on Hockey Patrol and was syndicated with permission.

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