The Columbus Blue Jackets are having to make another difficult decision this off-season, as star defenseman Seth Jones has indicated that he will test free agency next summer rather than re-sign. As The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline writes, barring a change of heart, this means that Jones will be traded, as expected. GM Jarmo Kekalainen has allowed other top players to stay with the team and walk as free agents in recent years, but with the team re-tooling and John Davidson back in his role as team president and focused on the future, Jones will not follow suit.
Fortunately, the Blue Jackets will have no trouble at all trading Jones and will be able to get a major return back. Kekalainen tells Portzline that he has ” heard from just about every GM in the league” since Jones’ availability became public. This could be puffery from the veteran executive to drive up the price, but is also entirely believable. Jones has been playing top-pair minutes for years, produces on offense, is solid on defense, and has improved in his physicality as well. At just 26, Jones is one of the more complete defensemen in the NHL and any club could use him.
Who will be the lucky team that lands Jones though? Portzline has heard four names come up repeatedly in conversations with sources around the league: Chicago, Colorado, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. The Avalanche certainly stand out as a outlier; the top contenders have plenty of depth on defense and are lacking in cap space, this year and beyond. They would likely be looking at Jones as a year-long rental as they push for that elusive Stanley Cup. Would the cost be worth the short-term investment though? The other three clubs certainly would be eyeing a long-term deal with Jones as they are each in need of a top-tier defenseman. The Flyers have long been searching for a capable player to pair with Ivan Provorov on their top pair and Jones is as good a fit as can be found on the market. The Blackhawks also have been without a truly elite defenseman for some time. Like Colorado, they have salary cap issues but would be more willing and able to make it work. The Kings are the most dangerous buyer on the market, armed with a ton of talented prospects and fueled by a desire to improve before their aging core calls it quits. A top defenseman would go a long way in L.A.’s effort to return to relevance.
Of course, as Jones’ market continues to develop and the asking price becomes more concrete, another suitor could swoop in. Every team in the league will keep an eye on the bidding war over the next few weeks, before the Blue Jackets are expected to pull the trigger, by the NHL Entry Draft if not before.
I think Detroit might be able to trump everyone if they want to given how much cap space they have. Jones may not want to go but Yzerman might make him an offer he can’t refuse.
Yeah, but if it was just about the money, Columbus could give Jones that. This has to be about Jones wanting to be on a winning team as well. Beyond that, Detroit just doesn’t have the *depth* to do anything but hand over picks, and Kekalainen’s going to be on the unemployment line if he doesn’t get some solid players back.
For my money, the Flyers are the best pick. They’re already looking at having to expose good players to Seattle, so I could see them offering (say) before the draft van Riemsdyk, a good prospect and a high draft pick. If Philly kept some salary, and/or tossed in Gostisbehere (who definitely needs the change in scenery) instead of a prospect, tell me you wouldn’t jump for that if you were the Blue Jackets’ GM.
Another thing I’d keep in mind is that Columbus is in desperate need of players with term. They’ve got exactly FIVE players with 2022 contracts.
I’m sorry the Flyers really? Depth it is the team I would want to go to look what Yzerman did with Tampa. In the next 3 years wings will be a perennial juggernaut why wouldn’t Jones want to be the Headman of the wings. But no let’s go to a aging core absolutely mess of a team in Philly
No, in three years Yzerman and the Detroit fans HOPE the team will be a perennial juggernaut. Yeah, well, three years ago Columbus had high hopes. Three years ago Columbus had Jones, and Panarin, and Bobrovsky, and Atkinson, and Dubois, and Werenski, and a bunch of good roleplayers, a good record, and a young team: Nick Foligno was the only impact player they had as old as 30. And now look at them: a train wreck with not a whole lot of hope.
Heck, just this fall, wasn’t Buffalo supposed to strike big? They picked up Hall. Eichel, Ullmark, Ristolainen, Reinhart, Dahlin, Middlestadt, all key pieces. Skinner and Okposo? Sure to rebound. How did that work out?
We just don’t have a crystal ball here. Jones is an elite stud, and even if he waived his NTC for the deal to happen in the first place he has no reason to re-sign with Detroit on the HOPE things turn around. Legitimate Cup contenders will offer him the bank. And as much as anything else, Philadelphia has assets they can offer Columbus. Detroit really doesn’t.
Aging core?…Giroux,Voracek,JvR,and Hayes,beyond them their core is pretty young.
I don’t think the players he mentions even gets the conversation started,but they certainly have the pieces to offer.Konecny,Sanheim and a draft pick would be a pretty difficult offer to match.
Could see Toronto offer a package centered around Marner to get Jones.
With another playoffs disaster this year, they need to change the club’s philosophy
Without Marner, does Matthews ever win another Rocket Richard trophy? If any top 6 forward will get traded, it’s Nylander who helped his trade value with a strong performance against Montreal in the playoffs.
Shouldn’t be a problem. Babcock wouldn’t let Matthews play with marner when he was the coach and Matthews had zero issues scoring. His injuries in the second and third seasons kept his goal totals a bit lower but his goal scoring rate was super high.
Yes let’s trade Marner for a pending UFA makes perfect sense to me
I kinda think that Matthews has answered any questions as to whether he’s a legit superstar. (grins) Mitch Marner’s a handy setup man, but he’s not the only one in the league.
That’s interesting..I hate Toronto and their fans haha…but I actually think there’s some substance here..I think Toronto is stupid for wanting to ditch marner…90 point guys don’t fall out of the sky…but to get a defenseman like Jones could totally change the team though I see how you guys handled Barrie…
What has to be remembered here is that Seth Jones may not want to play just anywhere, “for the money.” He may end up choosing a team that is consistently in the playoff picture.
Cam York is alot further along than some seem to think, so I’m not so sure the Flyers need to make a long term investment in a guy like Jones. Wouldn’t hurt to have him, but do they need to pay that big a price to get him is the question.
Can York is a boss. Flyers have a killer prospect in him.
Jones is overrated. Pass.
Disagree..I think he’s a total stud …but that’s why I love these sites because we’re allowed to disagree!