Jones open to/working with Blackhawks on trade

[BHawk21]

Maybe they can mutually terminate his contract and he can sign anywhere he wants

unfortunately he can go anywhere he wants right now and make all his money

 

[Mjul Qvist]

It will always be a bad trade, no matter what the assets turned into. I would still rather have Sillinger, the draft picks they got for Jiricek, and the 9.5mil in cap space than Jones.

It is not that bad consider Jones is probably best player of that trade. The contract is other thing.

 

[ColbyChaos]

That "gigantic hole" has been pretty easy to fill when he's out of the lineup.

False he is a top 5 RD don’t make a certain user barge in here and pull up some cherry picked stats to prove it

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Jones doesn't want to be here. He's not wanted here. Well, bye.

 

[Putt Pirate]

It is not that bad consider Jones is probably best player of that trade. The contract is other thing.

That's the rub. Stan was basically negotiating against himself if I recall correctly. He is such a f***ing moron. The overpay was known at the time and he always played the 'cap going up' thing.

 

[unbridledid]

That's the rub. Stan was basically negotiating against himself if I recall correctly. He is such a f***ing moron. The overpay was known at the time and he always played the 'cap going up' thing.

Were we really a Seth Jones away from competing for a cup in 2021-2022 ? That alone
makes the trade pointless to me.

 

[u2wojo]

Colorado makes sense, especially if you can get Ritchie &/or the '26 1st out of them. Manson as a dump to smooth out short term salary. Probably could use a bottom 6 depth forward like Donato so you open up maybe getting a couple useful things long term.

Ritchie + '26 1st + Manson for Jones and Donato (and whatever collection of 2nds/ prospects to make Colorado bite).

Another team that makes a lot of sense is the Capitals. They need a top of the lineup RHD. They have a bunch of expiring LTIR contracts or TVR with another year at 3 million to balance money, all their picks, and some interesting prospects (doubt Leonard or even Cristal could be had, but guys Parascak, Miroshnichenko, Protas (doubt they would with his brother in the organization) or Lapierre).

 

[ColbyChaos]

That's the rub. Stan was basically negotiating against himself if I recall correctly. He is such a f***ing moron. The overpay was known at the time and he always played the 'cap going up' thing.

Only other team in the running was Dallas who couldn’t afford him beyond a rental option. Bowman was truly something else when it came to negotiations. Guy basically extended Kekalainen’s tenure in Columbus an extra 6 years with his dumbass trades

 

[Hawkaholic]

It is not that bad consider Jones is probably best player of that trade. The contract is other thing.

Its still bad. The best player, yet, probably can't get rid of him.

Cooley was gone when Jiricek was selected, so how is that even an option? Not defending the trade, as I didn't like it at the time, even if I did understand what Stan was thinking. It was a typical bad short sighted deal a GM makes when he's on the hot-seat. With that said - coming up with some crazy hypothetical of what they could have done instead using the benefit of 20/20 hindsight is a fools errand IMO. You could do this with just about every major deal ever made and come up with a better outcome.

I hope that Kyle can move SJ and recover some of the "asset value" in the deal. If that does happen, depending on bad contracts they might have to take back, the Hawks are going to have to spend some SERIOUS cash in the off-season just to hit the salary floor.

We were made to be a better team than we should have been. The Hawks most definitely would have been a bottom 3 team if they didn't bring in Flower and Jones that year.

 

[hawksfan50]

Lots of teamsxwith plenty of cao space to add Jones if they wish to spend..
Some teams will not spendvto the cap anyway even ifvlitsvof cap space.

Some teams have caovsoace galore but are not contenders yet and so $9.5 woukd not waive to go to those situations..

Hiis agent prefer top contenders and also tax advantage jurisdictions...like in Texas or Florida.

I asunevnotvHawjs retention unless you can put forth onlyv1 partial of remainder of this season plus maybex1 orc2 seasobscofvthec5 more remaining on $9.5's contract starting next season.. If tgatvis allowed Haws might retain 2or 3 years max term on a sliding scale.. eg ..50%remainder of this season....50 % retained next season..25% following season and 10% season after , zero retention fibal 2 seasons...IF CBA allows for such retention sliding scale and limited retention time on term remaining,then Hawks coukd do sobeting like that if it helps acquiring team and ups thecasetscconing back

Contender teams $9.5 woukd waive to go to? LET IS CO

So TB $12.575 mCAP SPACE forc25/26 = too tight unless Hawks retain a big chunk.....probably rules them out.

COLORADO.. only $7.336 m cap space for nextcsrsdon..forget them ...

EDM ...$16.397 m cao space...posdible but not a tax advantaged situation.


VEGAS ...$ 16.79 m capspace next seasonn...maybe he goesctgere?

NJD = $$ 18.95 m capbspace next season...Maybe he goes there?

FLA = no tax syate and $21.3÷7 cap space for next season..bit do they need him?

LA = $25 .711 m cap space space for next season..a high tax state but I think they might be interested...many some prospects Hawks might want..so maybe a pisdible trade partner?


Toronto= $26.89 million cap sppce for next season.. but if they pay Marner $15-16 million per probaly woukd need tobchop Tavares even at reduced extention..Torontobsupoisedly making a deal with Tavares butbifvdien to 4-5milkion it leaves then no room for Jones unless they dump Morgan OReilky..

Woukd nred re-shufgkibg...Not surecif Minton and picks goodcenough return to trade Jones to them anyway.



Dallas..$.33.25 million cao space for 25/26...
Jones would love a tax free state lije Texas..

This landing spot has a high chance if the Dallas prospect pool has targets Hawks would like.

Washington=lots of cao space...Ryan Leonard 1 for 1 Probably not a chance,right?...maybe ifvee throw in our Leafs pick(25)...and Kantserov=???

Drooling if we coukd extract Leonard in a blockbuster of a deal.


WPG has 43.7 m cap space..but cannot see Jones wanting to go there despite their great record this season..Nor dothey need him


Carolina...has huge cap space available..but do they need dmen?
DOUBT it..

So some teams despite plenty of cao space are not destinations Jones would goto...other teams have to dump some contracts to fit him and other teams have the cap space abut not the picks o prospects Hawks would want back.

IF a blockbuster for a top prospect can be made involving Hawks giving more assets than just Jones to get someone lije Ryan Leonard then that is the kind of hockey trade that could bring mutual benefits to both teams.
Nobody exoected Washington to contend this season but they have surprised..
But finishing hogh means lower draft picks ..so maybe tgey consider immediate cup run help with Jones plus sone Hawks pick s and ir prospects in return for their top prospect (Leonard).

I hope we can pull off that kindvofvof block buster.

 

[Hawkaholic]

unfortunately he can go anywhere he wants right now and make all his money

Well, kind of, but not really. Hawks can say they don't want to trade him to where he wants to go for the return they are getting, and then hes stuck here, being a loser.

 

[fiddytranslator]

snip

Lots of teams have plenty of cap space to add Jones if they wish to spend. However, some teams won't spend to the cap anyway, even if they have space.

Some teams have cap space galore but are not contenders yet, so they wouldn’t waive for those situations. His agent prefers top contenders and tax-advantage jurisdictions, like Texas or Florida.

I assume there will be no retention unless the Hawks can retain only a partial amount for the remainder of this season, plus maybe 1 or 2 years of the 5 years remaining on the $9.5M contract starting next season. If that’s allowed, the Hawks might retain 2 or 3 years max on a sliding scale. For example, 50% retention for the remainder of this season, 50% next season, 25% in the following season, and 10% the season after, with zero retention for the final 2 seasons. If the CBA allows for such a sliding scale and limited retention on the term remaining, the Hawks could do something like this if it helps the acquiring team and increases the assets coming back.

Potential destinations for Jones:

• Tampa Bay ($12.575M cap space for 2025-26): Too tight unless the Hawks retain a large chunk, which probably rules them out.
• Colorado ($7.336M cap space for next season): Forget them.
• Edmonton ($16.397M cap space): Possible, but not a tax-advantaged situation.
• Vegas ($16.79M cap space for next season): Maybe he goes there?
• New Jersey ($18.95M cap space for next season): Maybe he goes there?
• Florida: No state income tax and $21.3M in cap space for next season. But do they need him?
• Los Angeles ($25.711M cap space for next season): A high-tax state, but they might be interested. They have some prospects the Hawks might want, so this could be a possible trade partner.
• Toronto ($26.89M cap space for next season): But if they pay Marner $15-16 million per year, they’d probably need to shed Tavares, even with a reduced extension. Toronto is supposedly making a deal with Tavares, but if it's for $4-5 million, that leaves no room for Jones unless they dump Morgan Rielly. There would need to be a reshuffling, and I'm not sure if Minton and picks would be a good enough return for Jones in a trade with them.
• Dallas ($33.25M cap space for 2025-26): Jones would love a tax-free state like Texas. This landing spot has a high chance if the Dallas prospect pool has targets the Hawks would like.
• Washington: They have a lot of cap space. Ryan Leonard 1-for-1 is probably not a chance, but maybe if we throw in our 2025 Leafs pick and some other prospects? If we could extract Leonard in a blockbuster deal, that would be great.
• Winnipeg ($43.7M cap space): Can’t see Jones wanting to go there despite their great record this season, and they don’t need him.
• Carolina: They have huge cap space available, but do they need defensemen? Doubt it.

So, some teams with plenty of cap space are not destinations Jones would want to go to, while other teams would have to dump contracts to fit him. Some teams have the cap space but not the picks or prospects the Hawks would want back.

If a blockbuster for a top prospect can be made involving the Hawks giving more assets than just Jones to get someone like Ryan Leonard, then that’s the type of hockey trade that could benefit both teams. Nobody expected Washington to contend this season, but they have surprised. Finishing high means lower draft picks, so maybe they consider making a run for the Cup with Jones, along with some Hawks picks and prospects in return for their top prospect (Leonard).

I hope we can pull off that kind of blockbuster.

 

[statswatcher]

Lots of teams have plenty of cap space to add Jones if they wish to spend. However, some teams won't spend to the cap anyway, even if they have space.

Some teams have cap space galore but are not contenders yet, so they wouldn’t waive for those situations. His agent prefers top contenders and tax-advantage jurisdictions, like Texas or Florida.

I assume there will be no retention unless the Hawks can retain only a partial amount for the remainder of this season, plus maybe 1 or 2 years of the 5 years remaining on the $9.5M contract starting next season. If that’s allowed, the Hawks might retain 2 or 3 years max on a sliding scale. For example, 50% retention for the remainder of this season, 50% next season, 25% in the following season, and 10% the season after, with zero retention for the final 2 seasons. If the CBA allows for such a sliding scale and limited retention on the term remaining, the Hawks could do something like this if it helps the acquiring team and increases the assets coming back.

Potential destinations for Jones:

• Tampa Bay ($12.575M cap space for 2025-26): Too tight unless the Hawks retain a large chunk, which probably rules them out.
• Colorado ($7.336M cap space for next season): Forget them.
• Edmonton ($16.397M cap space): Possible, but not a tax-advantaged situation.
• Vegas ($16.79M cap space for next season): Maybe he goes there?
• New Jersey ($18.95M cap space for next season): Maybe he goes there?
• Florida: No state income tax and $21.3M in cap space for next season. But do they need him?
• Los Angeles ($25.711M cap space for next season): A high-tax state, but they might be interested. They have some prospects the Hawks might want, so this could be a possible trade partner.
• Toronto ($26.89M cap space for next season): But if they pay Marner $15-16 million per year, they’d probably need to shed Tavares, even with a reduced extension. Toronto is supposedly making a deal with Tavares, but if it's for $4-5 million, that leaves no room for Jones unless they dump Morgan Rielly. There would need to be a reshuffling, and I'm not sure if Minton and picks would be a good enough return for Jones in a trade with them.
• Dallas ($33.25M cap space for 2025-26): Jones would love a tax-free state like Texas. This landing spot has a high chance if the Dallas prospect pool has targets the Hawks would like.
• Washington: They have a lot of cap space. Ryan Leonard 1-for-1 is probably not a chance, but maybe if we throw in our 2025 Leafs pick and some other prospects? If we could extract Leonard in a blockbuster deal, that would be great.
• Winnipeg ($43.7M cap space): Can’t see Jones wanting to go there despite their great record this season, and they don’t need him.
• Carolina: They have huge cap space available, but do they need defensemen? Doubt it.

So, some teams with plenty of cap space are not destinations Jones would want to go to, while other teams would have to dump contracts to fit him. Some teams have the cap space but not the picks or prospects the Hawks would want back.

If a blockbuster for a top prospect can be made involving the Hawks giving more assets than just Jones to get someone like Ryan Leonard, then that’s the type of hockey trade that could benefit both teams. Nobody expected Washington to contend this season, but they have surprised. Finishing high means lower draft picks, so maybe they consider making a run for the Cup with Jones, along with some Hawks picks and prospects in return for their top prospect (Leonard).

I hope we can pull off that kind of blockbuster.

ed

 

[hawksfan50]

There are 2 seemingly opposite opinions...1 iswe have to retain to getany deal done..and the other no retention of a team wants to land him and make the slpash vs.Other apparent teams in a contender window over next 4-5 years...

The idea that we must retain is absurd given the cap going up and how much space certain teams have in boatloads for next season..Despite that it did not work for Jones in Chicgao he is a valuable big minutes RD ..you would expect that on a contender team he could be paired with a top LGD who can cover for any errors Jones makes and that the better forwards score more when he is on..So both reasons would enhance both his offensive and defensive stat lines..this prospect woukd entice Several teams bidding on hom and when you get that you get a better deal for thecteam trading him...So in such a hot market for him, tge return price goes up and itvis not the acquiring team dictating to a desperate team just trying to "dump"...this is not a cap dump scenario..morevofca hockey trade scenario..

If Chicago retaibs anything it should only be 50% for the remainder of this season...maybe some lesser % for next season.. but Not likely anything over hisvlastv4 seasons . WITH THE CAP rising ,I do not see this being much of a key problem for several contending teams that do have the capnspace for fitting hom in.

I just cannot see the Hawks haveto retain 50% or even 25% for 5 more seasons after this one ends.

KD should not cone out of this looking fleeced by just late firsts plus significant retention over 5 + seasons ..

No this has got to be a fair "hockey trade"..If KD caves to a panic dump for a bag o pucks plus lengthy retentuon term he is a fool and should be canned .

HAWKS do not need more late first picks like our Leafs pick coming..
So high to mid firsts back are not a positivity unless a contender team owns such a pick from a bottom feeder team

Rather the return should ia prized already drafted prospect..Maybe Hawksxaksi get a conditional future 1st if the teamwe trade with gets to Cup Final this year ..but our main interest should be a prized drafted player from the prospect poolofvsuch team who still is in juniorscor the NCAa.

Therecalso could be otherxasetsctraded in a bigger blockbuster deal involving prospectscwe add to the deal to get an even higher prized prospect from them

OR bit could be a double = Jones plus Donato for a prize prospect plus future picks A n all in team pushing forca Xup might sacrifice a top prospect plus future pick ot pucks and the Hawks coukd retain on thec2 contracts for remainder of this season...

Poi t is..KD shoukd not bevcalkibg teams.. Desperate co tenders wanting to load up should be knocking on his doors.

Any retention on Jones shoukd be shorter lived...remainder of thiscseason and maybe next seadon..but not on the fibal 4 years of his co tract ..


Thisvis not Brandon Hagek forc2 late firsts in consecutive years..Ratger it is forcax23-25minutesxRDvwhise statsxwill be a lot bettervon a team with contender talent ..

Many have said Jones could not deliver a $9.5 m value ona basement team likevthe Hawks..but he probably is a $7.5 value on a Cup contender playoff team . And cap inflation takes care of the rest.

So dezpitexwhat Jones coukd not do forvthe Hawks he probably does make tgexacqhitibg tean set up for Depp ribs for not only this pkayoffs by 4 to 5 more..and tgat has got to bring g back a hefty value return.
KD is not giving g hom away for nothing and a further cap drain extending 5+ more years on the Hawks.
No it needs to be a fair hockey trade benefitting both trade partners.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

unfortunately he can go anywhere he wants right now and make all his money

Or he can continue to suffer on the Hawks (and collect his money). Just saying that the Hawks don't HAVE to move him if he does something like "I only want to play in Dallas".

Lots of teams have plenty of cap space to add Jones if they wish to spend. However, some teams won't spend to the cap anyway, even if they have space.

Some teams have cap space galore but are not contenders yet, so they wouldn’t waive for those situations. His agent prefers top contenders and tax-advantage jurisdictions, like Texas or Florida.

I assume there will be no retention unless the Hawks can retain only a partial amount for the remainder of this season, plus maybe 1 or 2 years of the 5 years remaining on the $9.5M contract starting next season. If that’s allowed, the Hawks might retain 2 or 3 years max on a sliding scale. For example, 50% retention for the remainder of this season, 50% next season, 25% in the following season, and 10% the season after, with zero retention for the final 2 seasons. If the CBA allows for such a sliding scale and limited retention on the term remaining, the Hawks could do something like this if it helps the acquiring team and increases the assets coming back.

Potential destinations for Jones:

• Tampa Bay ($12.575M cap space for 2025-26): Too tight unless the Hawks retain a large chunk, which probably rules them out.
• Colorado ($7.336M cap space for next season): Forget them.
• Edmonton ($16.397M cap space): Possible, but not a tax-advantaged situation.
• Vegas ($16.79M cap space for next season): Maybe he goes there?
• New Jersey ($18.95M cap space for next season): Maybe he goes there?
• Florida: No state income tax and $21.3M in cap space for next season. But do they need him?
• Los Angeles ($25.711M cap space for next season): A high-tax state, but they might be interested. They have some prospects the Hawks might want, so this could be a possible trade partner.
• Toronto ($26.89M cap space for next season): But if they pay Marner $15-16 million per year, they’d probably need to shed Tavares, even with a reduced extension. Toronto is supposedly making a deal with Tavares, but if it's for $4-5 million, that leaves no room for Jones unless they dump Morgan Rielly. There would need to be a reshuffling, and I'm not sure if Minton and picks would be a good enough return for Jones in a trade with them.
• Dallas ($33.25M cap space for 2025-26): Jones would love a tax-free state like Texas. This landing spot has a high chance if the Dallas prospect pool has targets the Hawks would like.
• Washington: They have a lot of cap space. Ryan Leonard 1-for-1 is probably not a chance, but maybe if we throw in our 2025 Leafs pick and some other prospects? If we could extract Leonard in a blockbuster deal, that would be great.
• Winnipeg ($43.7M cap space): Can’t see Jones wanting to go there despite their great record this season, and they don’t need him.
• Carolina: They have huge cap space available, but do they need defensemen? Doubt it.

So, some teams with plenty of cap space are not destinations Jones would want to go to, while other teams would have to dump contracts to fit him. Some teams have the cap space but not the picks or prospects the Hawks would want back.

If a blockbuster for a top prospect can be made involving the Hawks giving more assets than just Jones to get someone like Ryan Leonard, then that’s the type of hockey trade that could benefit both teams. Nobody expected Washington to contend this season, but they have surprised. Finishing high means lower draft picks, so maybe they consider making a run for the Cup with Jones, along with some Hawks picks and prospects in return for their top prospect (Leonard).

I hope we can pull off that kind of blockbuster.

Just FYI - but retention is a fixed % for the remainder of the contract. I think that the Hawks take back a bad shorter term contract (Manson, Dumba, etc.) to make the cap work in the short term and the announced escalation handles the cap in the long term.

I know that SJ isn't my "perfect d-man" by any stretch, but when was the last time a guy of his caliber was available at the trade deadline? Pure rentals of MUCH, MUCH lesser players return a 1st+. Especially for a guy who is locked up to term and given the coming cap escalation at a reasonable rate.

 

[Behn Wilson]

its good for his trade value but kind of sad that he finally plays to his potential for a few weeks and that is likely the last we see of him as a Hawk, Feel like we got ripped off by him not putting in full effort.

In the back of your mind you think maybe he has turned the corner but I don't trust him and after the shock factor of the crowd and media turning on him wears off he will likely go back to having games w empty box scores, zero shots on goal, hits, blocks, etc. Guy has all star caliber talent but just doesnt bring it on a nightly basis.

Move him ASAP.

 

[hawksfan50]

Dallas has no prospects that interest me ...Getyonh more late firsts from them makes 0 sense..

But Eatonton has 2 star prospects..Get eothercRyan Leonard orxIlya Protas (Windsor Spitfires in a blockbuster dea including other asets we andthey put in the deal and maybe we have a hockey trade.

Or L A. Kings ...put Liam Greentree as part of a bigger hockey trade and maybe we haveca trade partner.

SO TGE ACQUIRING TEAM has to have sonethibg we value and ifvtheyvrealkyvthink Jones helps them to wina Cup or Cups in their current window term,then a fair value deal is possible...as Jones never did enough to turn the Hawks into a playoff Team...that is partly on hinself ...but also recognizing there justceas not enough takentcand co oetence on the team to get him to be the star #1D we expected...it was just a bad fit for both him and for the Hawks..the timing was wrong ...Hawks into a re-build after the golden 3 Cup years..now glory gone for almost 10 seasons now ..Jones here last 3 seasons of this drought..the timing was off..the fit was wrong ..he had little help..still ...we expected more...his offense affected by not enough talent around him..his defense though was too inconsistent..too mistake prone and too often merely awful due to lack of focus ...maybe pkaying forca contender vs a basement team focuses a pkayer better.

A team getting him via trades hopes so...there were flashes ofvthe odd hame where Jones looked motivated focused and loked very good and effective ..but not often enough..maybe you cannot be a confident focused star when too many around you are bums .

So a team trying for him hopes they get the best of his game..A level effort and A level effective results..

If he plays for them like a $9.5 #1RD they get a bargain ..if he p ays like a $7.5 value level dman they still get a bargain helping them on a Cup run..

If he only plays like a $4.5 level dman or worse,then we will fleece them on this deal.4

But in any case he is not able to lift us out of the basement neighborhood...so we gotta make hom and us happy with a change .

 

[SimpleJack]

Dallas has no prospects that interest me ...Getyonh more late firsts from them makes 0 sense..

But Eatonton has 2 star prospects..Get eothercRyan Leonard orxIlya Protas (Windsor Spires in a blockbuster dea including otherxasetsxwexandctgey put in the deal and maybe we hetca hockey trade.

A subtle attempt at giving your translator a challenge? Testing the abilities?

 

[statswatcher]

A subtle attempt at giving your translator a challenge? Testing the abilities?

not to step on anyone's bit, but it looks like fun so i will take a stab at it. probably what he meant was: "other assets we and they", which is funny because "we and they" is utterly superfluous here as unless it's a three way trade "we and they" are the only people who could "put" "other assets" "in the deal".

 

[statswatcher]

including other asets we andthey put in the deal

 

[fiddytranslator]

snip

There seem to be two opposing opinions on a potential trade:

1. The idea that Chicago must retain salary to get a deal done.
2. The stance that no retention is necessary if a team truly wants to acquire Jones and make a big splash against other contenders over the next 4–5 years.

The notion that the Blackhawks must retain salary is absurd, especially considering the rising salary cap and how much cap space certain teams will have next season. While the Seth Jones experiment hasn’t worked out in Chicago, he is still a valuable, big-minute right-shot defenseman. On a contender, he could be paired with a strong left-shot partner who can cover for any mistakes. Additionally, better offensive support would likely improve his point production, making him more effective at both ends of the ice.

With multiple teams interested, Chicago should be in a position to maximize its return, rather than being forced into a salary-dump scenario. This is a hockey trade, not a cap dump.

If the Blackhawks retain any salary, it should be only 50% for the remainder of this season—perhaps a small percentage for next season, but not for the final four years of his contract. With the cap rising, several contenders have the space to fit him in without Chicago needing to eat a significant portion of his contract.

I don’t see any reason the Blackhawks should have to retain 50% or even 25% for five more years. Kyle Davidson (KD) should not walk away from this deal looking fleeced, settling for just late first-round picks while committing to long-term salary retention.

This needs to be a fair hockey trade. If KD caves and essentially gives Jones away in a panic move—retaining salary for years while getting only a weak return—he would be making a massive mistake. The Blackhawks don’t need more late first-round picks, like the one they’ll receive from Toronto. Unless a contender owns a high or mid-first from a bottom-feeding team, that kind of draft capital isn’t all that valuable.

Instead, the priority should be securing a top-tier, already-drafted prospect. Chicago could also negotiate a conditional first-rounder if the acquiring team reaches the Stanley Cup Final this year. But the main focus should be acquiring a high-end prospect from a team’s pipeline—someone still in juniors or the NCAA.

There’s also the possibility of expanding the trade into a larger blockbuster, where the Blackhawks include additional assets to land an even better prospect. Or, a package could involve both Jones and Ryan Donato, with Chicago retaining salary on both contracts for the remainder of this season in exchange for a premium return.

The key takeaway: KD shouldn’t be the one making desperate calls. Instead, contenders looking to load up for a deep playoff run should be the ones knocking on his door.

If any salary retention is involved, it should be short-term—only for the remainder of this season and maybe next—not for the final four years of Jones’ contract.

This isn’t a situation like Brandon Hagel being moved for two late first-rounders. Jones is a 23–25 minute-per-night right-shot defenseman whose numbers would improve on a contender.

Many argue that Jones hasn’t provided $9.5 million worth of value on a rebuilding team like Chicago, but on a true Stanley Cup contender, he’s likely worth at least $7.5 million. And with cap inflation, his contract will look more reasonable over time.

So, despite what Jones hasn’t been able to do for the rebuilding Blackhawks, he could be a key addition for a contender looking to make deep playoff runs for the next 4–5 years. That has to bring back a strong return.

KD isn’t giving him away for nothing—especially not while committing to long-term salary retention that would drain Chicago’s cap for five or more years. This needs to be a fair hockey trade that benefits both sides.

snip snip

Dallas doesn’t have any prospects that interest me. Acquiring more late first-round picks from them makes no sense.

However, Edmonton has two star prospects. If we’re making a blockbuster deal that includes other assets on both sides, I’d want either Ryan Leonard or Ilya Protas (Windsor Spitfires) as part of the return. That could lead to a legitimate hockey trade.

The L.A. Kings could also be a trade partner—if they include Liam Greentree in a bigger package.

The key here is that the acquiring team must have something we value. If they truly believe Seth Jones can help them win a Stanley Cup (or multiple Cups) in their current window, then a fair-value trade is possible.

Jones was never able to turn the Blackhawks into a playoff team. Some of that is on him, but it’s also a result of the lack of talent and structure around him. The reality is, he was simply a bad fit for the Hawks. The timing was wrong—he arrived just as the team entered a full rebuild after the three-Cup dynasty years. Now, nearly a decade removed from that success, the Hawks have been in a downward spiral, and Jones has been here for the last three seasons of it.

He had little support, and while his offense suffered due to the lack of talent around him, his defensive play was also inconsistent, mistake-prone, and sometimes outright poor due to lapses in focus. Perhaps playing for a contender instead of a basement-dwelling team would bring out a more engaged and reliable version of him.

A team trading for him is hoping for that outcome. There were flashes—games where Jones looked motivated, focused, and highly effective—but they weren’t frequent enough. Maybe it’s tough to be a confident, high-impact player when you’re surrounded by struggling teammates.

Any team acquiring him is taking a bet on which version they’ll get.

• If he plays like a true $9.5 million #1 defenseman, they’re getting a bargain.
• If he plays at a $7.5 million level, he’s still a valuable asset for a Cup run.
• But if he plays like a $4.5 million defenseman (or worse), then we will have fleeced them on this deal.

Regardless, it’s clear he’s not capable of lifting the Blackhawks out of the rebuild. The best outcome for both him and the team is to move on and find a situation that benefits everyone.

 

[Blackhawks]

Were we really a Seth Jones away from competing for a cup in 2021-2022 ? That alone
makes the trade pointless to me.

Oh ya according to Stan the man that was our year to win the cup, and most HF experts here were saying Stan had a “great summer” and I was puzzled like what are these people even saying, this guy just destroyed the future of this team and these people are hailing him. Same old uneducated takes on HF and had been happening for many years, and those same people tell me I am clueless today when I am foreseeing the moves going on today, it’s happening again and in a couple years people will realize it and catch up, they are always 4-5 years behind.

 

[Ajex12x]

Oh ya according to Stan the man that was our year to win the cup, and most HF experts here were saying Stan had a “great summer” and I was puzzled like what are these people even saying, this guy just destroyed the future of this team and these people are hailing him. Same old uneducated takes on HF and had been happening for many years, and those same people tell me I am clueless today when I am foreseeing the moves going on today, it’s happening again and in a couple years people will realize it and catch up, they are always 4-5 years behind.

This was the consensus poll of that trade, you make it sound like you are the only one right ever on everything. While most people were saying they didn't like it, you came in mad that Stan supporters weren't outraged at the stupidity of it.

Boqvist "ends up being a # 1 D which is very likely" according to you, and that deal lands us in cap hell for years. None of which happened. So forgive us when we don't agree with your "foreseeing the moves going on today".

 

[Il Stugotz]

If the Blackhawks retain any salary, it should be only 50% for the remainder of this season—perhaps a small percentage for next season, but not for the final four years of his contract. With the cap rising, several contenders have the space to fit him in without Chicago needing to eat a significant portion of his contract.

Is this even possible? I didn't think retention is flexible.

 

[statswatcher]

Is this even possible? I didn't think retention is flexible.

through fiddy all things are possible