Seth Jones trade: 3 reasons why Florida Panthers shouldn't have traded for $76,000,000 D-man

The Florida Panthers acquired defenseman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks along with a 2026 fourth-round pick in exchange for a 2026 first-round pick and goaltender Spencer Knight, insider Frank Seravalli reported.

Moreover, the Blackhawks will retain $2.5 million of Jones’ salary for the next five seasons.

In this deal, the Panthers look to shore up their blue line as they head into the postseason. However, there are three key reasons why the Florida Panthers shouldn't have traded for Seth Jones.

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Three reasons why the Florida Panthers shouldn't have traded for Seth Jones

#3 Jones’ age

Seth Jones is 30 this season and not getting any younger. While that isn’t a problem in and of itself, the issue is that Jones’ production has been declining over the years.

Jones’ last truly productive season was in 2021-22, his first year in Chicago when he registered 51 points in 72 games. Since then, his numbers have dipped significantly, notching up just 31 points last season in 67 games.

This year, Jones has 27 points in 42 games, showing signs of his declining production. Moreover, he has spent considerable time on injured reserve this season, further impacting his production.

As a result, the Panthers are gambling on an aging blue liner, which seems to be a third-pairing option for the club, at best.

#2 Jones’ cap hit

While the Florida Panthers didn't take on Seth Jones’ full cap hit, they took on a considerable chunk of it. According to PuckPedia, Jones comes with a $7 million cap hit for the next three seasons.

Jones initially signed an eight-year, $76 million, deal with Chicago. The cap hit plus his age and declining production made his contract virtually untradeable. Despite the Blackhawks retaining as much as they did, the $7 million cap hit is a gross overpay for a player like Jones.

If the Panthers ever regret trading for Jones, they would have a tough time moving him, as very few teams would be willing to take on Jones’ cap hit, even at $7 million per season.

#1 The Panthers overpaid for Jones

On the surface, it would seem like the Panthers didn’t give up all that much to get Seth Jones. But here’s the situation: they gave up a 2026 first-round pick to get Jones. The Panthers had to move their 2026 pick, as they don’t have a first-rounder this season.

The problem is that the 2026 draft is considered to be one of the deepest drafts in recent history. As such, moving a first-rounder, even a late-round pick, could come back to bite the Panthers. The Blackhawks could find themselves a solid player in the later portion of the 2026 first round, a player the Panthers could have used as their window of contention eventually closes.

As for Spencer Knight, trading their backup goaltender raises some questions, as the Panthers don’t seem to have anyone who could enter the picture as a reliable No. 2 option. As such, throwing Knight into the deal makes this trade even more desperate on the Florida Panthers’ part.