The Chicago Blackhawks’ struggles in recent seasons have prompted veteran All-Star defenseman Seth Jones to look for a way out.
Jones told reporters earlier this week that he is willing to waive his “no-movement” clause and would like to get traded to a contender and play “meaningful games.”
“I want to hope to maybe be in a situation where I’m competing for a Stanley Cup, at least playing some meaningful games in May and hopefully June. That’s where I am right now. Discussions with the agent and stuff like that have been going on. Obviously, there’s a lot of moving parts to something like this. But it is what it is, kind of, right now,” Jones said.
Jones, who has 26 points this season, added that he thinks the Blackhawks have been improving and have a bright future, but recognized that the team’s timeline isn’t aligned with his. He also recognized that his exit might take some time and said that he intends to remain professional and help the team as much as he can during the process.
Moving Jones couldn’t prove challenging for the Blackhawks due to his large contract. He signed an eight-year, $76 million contract extension with the franchise in 2021 and still has five years remaining after the 2024-25 season.
The Blackhawks acquired Seth Jones in a trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets in the summer of 2021. At the time, he was considered a missing piece that would help the team to return to playoffs after a disappointing campaign. However, the franchise soon decided to change course and instead embarked on a rebuild that is yet to yield meaningful results.
Jones entered the league as the fourth overall pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators. He has 96 goals and 335 assists over the course of 835 NHL games, receiving five All-Star selections and the NHL Second All-Star Team honor in 2018.
