Seth Jones’ career took a pivotal turn when the Florida Panthers pulled off a blockbuster trade with the Chicago Blackhawks to acquire the top blueliner from Connor Bedard’s team. Since then, Jones has played in some of the most critical games of his career—but none bigger than the upcoming Stanley Cup Final showdown against the Edmonton Oilers.
Jones found himself stuck in an unfavorable situation in the Windy City, where the winds of change never seemed to favor the Blackhawks. But everything changed with his move to Florida. The Panthers’ arrival marked a turning point for the 30-year-old blueliner, who is now finally enjoying the rewards of success in the NHL.
Still, the biggest games lie ahead for Jones and the Panthers. It all starts with a crucial Game 1 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, but the journey stretches far beyond the opener. Jones is set to play in his first NHL game in the month of June—a milestone he’s chased his entire career, and one he’s finally earned.
As the Cats gear up for the biggest series of the season, Jones opened up about his personal journey, delivering an emotional statement with hints to his past in Bedard’s Chicago.
“I don’t want to speak too much on Chicago because it was just a different situation,” Seth Jones added. “They put development first and there’s nothing wrong with that. But being in four years of that as an older guy is tough.
“It weighs a lot on you, I was losing my hair for a bit there. Listen, I wasn’t playing the greatest hockey, either. I’d be the first to admit that. But I’m happy this change came, and I feel like I found a little bit of new life.”
Sunshine State of Mind
Though moving from the Midwest to South Florida is often seen as a retirement cliché, Seth Jones made it clear his change of scenery in the NHL was anything but that. If anything, his arrival in Sunrise marked the true beginning of the grind, not the end of it.
“The first day I came in, talking to Paul [Maurice] and walking around the room on a practice day, you could feel something was different,” Jones admitted, per NHL.com. “Everyone understands their task every day, has a goal every day and everyone’s really working toward something bigger than just the regular season or an individual game or a goal or a point or something like that.
“Being in the Final the last two years, they understood what it took to get back here and what it takes to win. Just walking around, it’s just special being in that room and being in that environment.”
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Missing piece to the puzzle
Jones immediately clicked into the Panthers’ system, becoming a critical piece of the lineup thanks to his size and great hockey sense. Now, he’s on the verge of hoisting the Stanley Cup for the first time in his career, but on the other end of the ice stand Connor McDavid and the star-studded Oilers.