"He really was playing lousy": Don Cherry opines Seth Jones will fare better with new team after trade from Blackhawks

On Saturday, Seth Jones's trade shocked the hockey world when it was announced that the Chicago Blackhawks defenseman was heading to the Florida Panthers. The Blackhawks are set to retain 26% of the defenseman's salary. In return, they received goaltender Spencer Knight, a conditional first-round pick and a fourth-round pick from the Panthers.

Seth Jones had publicly stated last week that he was looking to be traded away from Chicago, considering that the team is in rebuild mode.

“I’ve been here the last four years through probably the darkest times the Blackhawks have seen for a while,” Jones told The Athletic on Friday. “I think things are moving up, they are moving forward. But I think my timeline might be different than Kyle (Davidson) and Norm’s (Maciver) and the Blackhawks."

The Blackhawks had won three Stanley Cups between 2010 and 2015 but haven't made it to the playoffs since the 2019-20 season. They won just 23 games last season, finishing in last place in their division, and are virtually out of playoff contention this season. On a personal level, Jones's production with the Hawks has also taken a hit over the past few seasons.

On the latest episode of The Don Cherry's Grapevine podcast, the hockey personality and his son, Tim Cherry, opened their show by speaking about the Toronto Maple Leafs' possible playoff matchups and how Florida would be an even more unfavourable matchup for the Leafs with the addition of a big defenseman like Jones.

Don made his feelings known about Seth Jones's time with the Chicago Blackhawks and said:

"He'll pick it up. Oh, he's been playing lousy in Chicago. Yeah, he really was playing lousy," Cherry said.

Panthers GM Bill Zito heaps praise on Seth Jones after trade is confirmed

As per NHL insider David Pagnotta, Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito opened up about the recent trade they made with the Blackhawks. He complimented Seth Jones's overall abilities and felt that his addition would make the team better.

“Seth is an elite veteran defenseman and a proven leader in our league,” Zito said on Saturday. “He has been one of the most consistent players of the past decade, serving as a reliable workhorse on both sides of the puck, and he will help our club continue to compete at the highest level."

The Panthers are defending champions and will be hoping to make it to their third straight Stanley Cup finals. They are currently second in the Atlantic Division with 77 points.