Confirmed with Link: [FLA/CHI] Seth Jones (25% retained) and 2026 4th round pick for 2027 1st round pick and Spencer Knight

[I am not exposed]

People will wake up tomorrow and be in the acceptance stage.

It won't be long until everyone is happy with the deal. People struggling with the shock of losing draft pick Knight.

 

[Vilam]

Eww. What the ****?

 

[batting1k]

People will wake up tomorrow and be in the acceptance stage.

It won't be long until everyone is happy with the deal. People struggling with the shock of losing draft pick Knight.

Jones doesn’t have the same ring to it during the anthem

 

[StrangeVision]

I really like getting Jones, I don't like losing Knight. Not sure how I feel about this trade, yet.

 

[Vilam]

Eww. What the ****?

Alright, initial shock is over. I had the same reaction to the Bennett trade and I love that guy dearly now. Willing to wait and see how this one goes.

I wanted Knight to have a feel good comeback story here; wish him nothing but the best. Guess I've always been biased against Jones for his bitter comments about not being picked by us, and I was STRONGLY against picking him at the time. I hope this trade is exactly what he needs to get his career on track. I love that it isn't a rental.

 

[16Skippy]

I know we all love Knight but I think this is the right call. Hopefully he can put it together and be a career starter, but we are in win-now mode and you have to give to get.

Jones has gotten a lot of flack the last few years but CHI is an absolute whale shit team, he'll do even better here. Plus he won't be "the guy". Forsling and Ekblad will do a lot of the heavy lifting (no pun).

Alright, initial shock is over. I had the same reaction to the Bennett trade and I love that guy dearly now. Willing to wait and see how this one goes.

I wanted Knight to have a feel good comeback story here; wish him nothing but the best. Guess I've always been biased against Jones for his bitter comments about not being picked by us, and I was STRONGLY against picking him at the time. I hope this trade is exactly what he needs to get his career on track. I love that it isn't a rental.

Yea that might have been Zito's best move. Our center depth went from being a weakness to a huge strength, hopefully this trade does the same with our right side D.

 

[letsgrowcactus]

I really don't like losing Knight and our goalie situation being uncertain, but it does make some sense. Our window is now; Knight is probably another year or two away from being a starter. We do need a replacement but it’s less urgent than the need on D. Also Bob's contract is finally nearing its end - worst case, we can go FA shopping using some of that money when his deal is up if we don't trust him to handle the role anymore.

It really depends on how Jones plays here, but it’s not a bad move on paper.

 

[ShootIt]

there was a point in history where Werenski-Jones were the best D pairing in the entire NHL. Like Toews-Makar tier.

Forsling-Jones could replicate some of that dynamic. And Jones has played in front Bob before too.

Now can I interest you in a Daniel Vladar?

Treefiddy?

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Jones is such a good dman... He unfortunately has been stuck in Chicago where the team is putrid so people forget just how elite he is.

This trade is unbelievable for you guys

 

[KW]

Jones doesn’t have the same ring to it during the anthem

If he helps us get another ring, we can ignore that deficiency

 

[RogerRogerr]

Talk about swinging for the fences. I love Knight, wish him the best.
I feel bad for draft lovers who still can't get excited about the 1st round until the 2030's.

 

[FloridaMan]

I hope he brings some of this on Monday...

 

[iam76]

now it makes sense why bob played today

 

[Ghoste]

People will wake up tomorrow and be in the acceptance stage.

It won't be long until everyone is happy with the deal. People struggling with the shock of losing draft pick Knight.

This is true as I was really pulling for Knight to be really good here and for a long time.

Before the draft, I thought Tallon was definitely picking Jones after losing our shot at Nate. Haven’t really watched Jones these past years enough to know what exactly we are getting. I do know he should be a happy camper with a motivational boost after getting his wish to come to a contender.

I have no reason not to trust Zito so I’m guessing it will all work out. And in the end, at least it wasn’t Mackie.

 

[WaitingForThatCab]

Pretty much nothing left from the Tallon era. With that said, thank you for #16 and returning this franchise to respectability, Dale. Hope the links are treating you well, as always.

 

[zeroG]

i winced severely when i saw the return. one thing i haven't seen mentioned is that we should feel pretty good lou and crew are on the job. they were probably a major factor in this decision.

does that mean there is a lot of confidence in bob through next year (and beyond?). or maybe they feel with this group of skaters now, the goalie isn't going to need to be quite as special? maybe both?

 

[barkovcanfinnish]

The immediate feeling will be good, because with Bob in net and Jones added to our defense, we’ll look like we’re primed up for another deep run. But on the flip side, if Bob gets banged up, we are so unbelievably f***ed.

I’m glad they addressed the serious need, but now we have another hole to address.

 

[scholl]

Damn not sure I like that at all

I don't like it. Jones is old and Spence has improved his game a lot. I don't know what they plan to do after Bobby is done.

 

[FinlandPanther]

I don't like it. Jones is old and Spence has improved his game a lot. I don't know what they plan to do after Bobby is done.

I think Zito just doesn’t care who’s in net. He doesn’t need a super star expensive guy. He just needs someone who can make some big ones.

 

[Gentle Man]

I don’t think we are done


I also think Bob will sign 1 year deals to be a backup

 

[scholl]

does that mean there is a lot of confidence in bob through next year (and beyond?). or maybe they feel with this group of skaters now, the goalie isn't going to need to be quite as special? maybe both?

$14.5m for goalies is too much. That must have been the reason to trade Knight.

 

[MaWa]

Just few notes...

If it wasnt clear until now, Zito is not sentimental at all if he thinks it will improve the team. He could trade Barkov next for Makar and McKinnon and he wouldnt blink. And i love it. He has balls of steel.

I am not afraid of our golie situation at all. Bob is not slowing down at all and with his training, he can easily has three years left of elite play. Driedger was good for us in the past already. And most important...we havee Lu. I absolutely trust him, he knows what we have in the pipeline.

At the end of the day we unloaded 4.5mil of dead cap space (sorry Spencer) and draft pick for five years of top 10 RD in his prime with salary 7 per year. What is not to like there ?

 

[MarginNotes]

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

Will miss Knight, he seemed like a good kid and I thought he was coming around, would've been really nice to see him become a starter with us. Will miss the "Knight" shout out during the anthem. I think I've always had this hope he would be our long-term homegrown starter and it becomes this great story of him overcoming his OCD and we stuck with him. So the sentimental part of me hates this so much.

I also don't like giving up a 2026 1st because its supposed to be a good draft and I would like us to add a top prospect.

HOWEVER, I like winning cups more and this move vaults us right to the top of contender status, fixing the biggest hole in our roster. We basically gave up nothing from the roster (Knight would likely sit all playoffs) for a borderline RD1 to play RD2. If Tkachuk comes back healthy for the playoffs, I'll be disappointed if we don't get to the finals again. Plus we still get Jones at a reasonable cap hit in case Ekblad asks too much and is gone, so good planning for the future.

I'd also have to go with Zito's judgement here, he's earned our trust. He knows Jones well. He knows Knight well. He knows Tkachuk's status. He knows what we have in the prospect pipeline.

Sucks we lost Knight from a sentimental standpoint, but sentiment doesn't win us cups. Godspeed Knighter, I wish you success, just wish it wasn't with Chicago.

Another trade where futures are being for immediately help. I still think that Knight will be a top5 tendy but when that happens the Panthers window of contention has likely closed by then. Like the kid and wish him nothing but the best.

This is a good trade for the Panthers considering the circumstances. Knight was am expensive backup with Bob being the starter and I don't care about the 1st round pick as long as it's used wisely. Forsling, Ekblad, Mikkola and Jones is a solid top4 which solves a lot of problems for the Panthers. The Hawks might've won this trade if Jones was a rental but him being under contract for the next 5 years makes this a minor victory for Zito.

Jones is ofc older but he was impressive in the playoffs when he played for Lumbus with Bob and Bread on the their team. Hopefully he can still be like that for the Panthers.

 

[IceManCat]

The more I think about this the more I love this trade. We needed a good skater back there that can eat up minutes. Looking at the free agent market there are no premier RD available we just got one. He brings size, plays big minutes, can skate, can run the power play, is RD, honestly brings so much of what we lack on the back end. At 7.1 this is a heck of a deal compared to what we would have paid on the FA market for a player like this. His contract also runs through his prime years and ends at an age decline perfect. I still remember streaming his OHL championship between him and Mackinnon on my laptop. Portland Winterhawks vs Halifax. Wow how time flies!

Guys we have a hell of a hockey team once again consider also lucky! What a time to be a Panther fan, we will contend for Lord Stanley’s once again.