Seth Jones: Florida Panthers D-Man Faces Chicago Blackhawks for First Time Since Trade

Seth Jones: Florida Panthers D-Man Faces Chicago Blackhawks for First Time Since Trade

a lot of excitement. Um, worked out some good things in the preseason and um, you know, want to, you know, it’s going to be exciting time tomorrow for for not just us, but the organization and, uh, and raising that banner and, uh, trying to get a win. Have you given any thought yet to what it might feel like to to watch that banner go to the rafters? It’s going to be pretty cool. You know, I think it’ll be up there forever and and knowing that uh, it’s just a special group and um, it’s kind of um, you know, it’s a celebration, but at the same time, it’s a turning of the page. It’s a new chapter and um something that we want to get to this year early is our game and and uh and trying to get that tip top shape. So, is there kind of an added touch for you considering the opponent you guys are facing for the first game? Uh yeah, I mean, you know, uh played almost four years there in Chicago and made a lot of great friends. Um some good memories and um a lot of great people working that organization. So, um you know, see some some old faces on the ice. Uh but we’ll still be competitive out there. Talk about big moments. What do you think tonight’s going to be like for you when you open that box for the first time? It’s going to be awesome. It’s going to be awesome. Um, just listening to the guys last year how how it was for them and um, you know, this is our second time, but it’s going to be be super special to to really get that ring and and put it on your finger and um, and have that thing as um, a collection piece for the rest of my life. I think this is obviously Go ahead, Jeff. Sorry. Sorry. What was the biggest focus for you in the preseason, especially considering you have such a good understanding now of this system? Just getting back to the basics. I think clean breakouts um keeping tight gap on the rush. Um that’s something that me and Meeks focused on quite a bit. You know, there wasn’t much five on five in the last two games, but uh when there was, we wanted to really focus on that. And then, you know, a lot of power play and penalty kill. So, just um really getting your footing with those situations, too. This was obviously a pretty close group as evidenced by what you guys did last last June, but to come back mostly intact and then go through the adversity you’ve gone through. I mean, nobody wants to lose Barky. Nobody wants to lose Chucky, but to go through some stuff already. Has this group even gotten closer, do you think, in some ways? Yeah, I think every day that passes, you know, we get closer. Um, you know, especially off the ice, I think that matters so much when when it comes to a team and and the way you perform on the ice, everyone trusts each other. Everyone has each other’s back um no matter the situation. And uh you know, you see Barky, you see the guys that are hurt in here every single day working to get back and uh we want to play for them as well. So they have the opportunity to to play as we go deeper in the season. With Mika coming back, top four guys now on defense, all signed for at least the next five years. What does it do as a defenseman to kind of have that kind of stability, kind of have the familiarity year after year after year? Yeah, I think it’s something that every D man strives for and every D pair. you want to play together for a long time because you understand um you know you get used to your um you know certain triggers that the other D partner has whether you’re going or staying back or what he’s thinking and so you really become a unit rather than um you know two defenseman out there playing and so I think you you think about some of the great pairs that have played in the past that played together for a long time and many years and uh and accomplished great things. So it’s awesome that uh the top four is here um and uh we can really get acclimated and continue to grow together. Seth, where do you feel like your game maybe took a step full work since you got Trey over here? Uh, probably the defensive side of the puck. You just trying to keep a tight gap. You know, obviously with the system, um, it demands that of you and and so, um, defensively, um, not giving up the blue line so easy, not giving up the red line so easy in the neutral zone is a big part of of not just our team concept, but as a defenseman, uh, and making it harder on the other team. So, you know, around the net, boxing out, little things like that, um, that I focus on a little bit more. What was it like for you after the trade coming to a new team for the first time in the middle of a season, new systems, all that? Going from a last place team to a, you know, a contender. I mean, what was that like? Uh, the Well, I’ll just talk about the system. I mean, it was completely different system. And I think it took me a few weeks for sure to really get accustomed to that. U just talking to Paul and then doing video with Sly, you know, practically after every game, um, on what he expects of me, what I can do better, what I’m already doing well. So, it wasn’t all negative. Um, he does a great job of showing showing all your clips in a game, but um just being consistent in the defensive side of the puck and then the offense it kind of takes care of itself. You know, we’re we’re not a big rush team, but um you know, being involved in the offense when you can be is important and um you know, I think for a defenseman, especially two-way guy, if you can take care of the puck in your own end and keep it out of your net, it helps a lot more. Bill was talking earlier before the start of camp about Paul with new players, he’s like, “Make a big mistake. Go ahead. Is that like a nice weight lifted off where you you’re not ging like don’t want to mess up and now I don’t know how long that string is the rope is. Um but when I first got here 100% that was the conversations I was having is don’t be afraid to make a mistake and I remember there was a game in Montreal couple minutes left. Uh they made a long stretch pass to Suzuki and he and I went to attack him. He kind of spun off in the neutral zone. They had a two-on-one. They didn’t score but after the game he Paul came to me and said I want you to make that play a 100 times over. you know, make that mistake. It’s better than backing up, giving them time and space to make plays. So, that really stuck with me and I think that helped my game and especially when it came playoff time. How how do you reflect on that time in Chicago now on the other side of it? Yeah, it was it was a whirlwind. You know, it was kind of hard to to really even get my footing under because, you know, nine games in kind of came crashing down uh my first year there. But, um like I said, I made a lot of great friends, a lot of great people in the organization. um the hockey as aspect of it. You know, everyone kind of had a hard time there, I think. And um you know, they’re they’re really young now. Um they’re really fast and I think in the next few years it’s going to be be awesome to kind of see them grow together as a group over there and uh you know, I saw Veloci at the US program, uh Frankie, um they’re doing great and they’re super excited over there as well. It it felt like at the end where I at least Nick Felino and some of the guys just maybe took exception to how you left and and just what did you have any thoughts or did you I guess have you guys talked at all or just you know I talked to Fliggy um I was taken a back but at the same time you know I think it’s it was difficult when I was I was asking comparisons and all this stuff and it was hard for me to really answer those questions you know and so maybe I said some things that I you know that came out wrong. I never meant any disrespect to that organization or the players there because everyone I was over there. We were trying our hardest every night. You know, we were trying to win hockey games and and guys are laying their body on the line and and and doing everything for their careers. But um you know, it’s different when you come to a team and um you know, everyone’s just older and and you’re in a different position. You know, I think that organization is going to be in that position in years to come um when everyone kind of gets a little bit older and and acclimated to that system and playing together. So, seemed like it seemed like a win-win in the end. I mean, you got what you wanted. You get the championship. The the Hawks get a goalie out of it. It wasn’t like it was just a cap dump kind of situation. Is it was it the best case scenario how that could have ended for you? Uh yeah. I mean, winning the Stanley Cup for sure was the best case scenario. I mean, it didn’t matter if it was Florida, wherever else. I mean, uh um I’m happy I’m here. Um you know, it’s a great team. There’s great guys off the ice and uh I feel like I’ve been here forever when I got here. And I think that’s a testament to all the guys here because everyone kind of says that, you know, all the new guys say that. So, it’s not just me, but um I’m definitely happy.

Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones meets the media after his team’s practice in Fort Lauderdale on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025.

Jones will face his former team, the Chicago Blackhawks, on Tuesday for the first time since he was traded to the Panthers before the NHL Trade Deadline on March 1.

Florida opens the season Tuesday against the Blackhawks where they will raise their 2025 Stanley Cup banner.

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