'Most consistent players of the past decade": Panthers GM on acquiring $76,000,000 D-man Seth Jones from Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers combined earlier this evening on a considerable trade. The Panthers acquired defenseman Seth Jones and a 2026 fourth-round pick from the Blackhawks. They sent goaltender Spencer Knight and a 2026 conditional first-round draft pick to Florida in return.

The Blackhawks will be retaining $2.5 million of Jones' $9.5 million cap hit for the next five years through 2030. He signed an eight-year, $76 million contract extension with the Blackhawks in 2021.

The Panthers, the defending Stanley Cup champions, believe they acquired a valuable piece who will help them in their quest for a repeat performance, according to general manager Bill Zito.

"Seth is an elite veteran defenseman and a proven leader in our league," he said. "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 Chicago Blackhawks are acquiring another young goaltender with plenty of promise. Knight was once thought of as the goaltender of the future with the Panthers, but has played sparingly behind starter Sergei Bobrovsky.

Chicago could be looking at trading another goaltender on their roster, as they now have a total of four along with Petr Mrazek, Arvid Soderblom and Laurent Brossoit; Brossoit has yet to play this season thanks to an injury he suffered before the campaign began.

Seth Jones recently requested a trade from Chicago

Jones, who began his NHL career with the Columbus Blue Jackets, recently requested a trade from the Blackhawks, the second-lowest ranked team in the Western Conference.

"I've been here the last four years, through probably the darkest times the Blackhawks have seen in a while," Jones said last month. "I think things are moving up, they are moving forward. But I think my timeline might be different than ... the Blackhawks."

Seth Jones hasn't played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since he was with the Blue Jackets. He was also a part of the Blue Jackets squad that swept the Tampa Bay Lightning in the opening round of the postseason in 2019 before eventually bowing out to the Conference champion Boston Bruins in the second round.

Jones has played in 839 career NHL games with the Blue Jackets and Blackhawks, scoring 97 goals with 335 assists as well as a -133 rating.