Top 5 Seth Jones trade destinations: Best landing spots for $76,000,000 Chicago Blackhawks D-man

Seth Jones is heading towards being traded for the third time in his NHL career. On Friday, the Chicago Blackhawks defenseman said he's had discussions with general manager Kyle Davidson about a move. While he hasn't officially demanded a trade, he's made it known that he'd welcome a change of scenery.

Jones was drafted fourth overall by the Nashville Predators in 2013. He spent two and a half seasons with the Preds before being dealt to Columbus in a one-for-one swap for Ryan Johansen.

Jones spent the next six seasons with the Blue Jackets, where he played some of the best hockey of his career. During the 2021 offseason, he was traded again, this time to the Blackhawks, where he quickly signed a massive eight-year, $76,000,000 contract.

His time in Chicago has been somewhat of a disaster. In his four seasons with the Hawks, the team has finished 27th, 30th and 31st and now sits 31st once again in the NHL standings. At 30 years old, the star defenseman wants to win, but that won't happen in Chicago in the foreseeable future.

Despite all the losing, Jones has remained quite productive this season, recording 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 40 games on the Blackhawks blueline. He's registered over 30 points in all three years in Chicago and is on pace to do so again in 2024-25. A fresh start on a playoff-contending team could be what he needs to show he can still play at a high level.

Let's dive into the top 5 landing spots for Seth Jones ahead of the trade deadline.

Top 5 trade destinations for Blackhawks D-man Seth Jones

#1. Columbus Blue Jackets

How about a reunion? The Columbus Blue Jackets make a lot of sense for Seth Jones. Of course, he's familiar with the organization and city, having spent six seasons as a Blue Jacket. Columbus is surprisingly tied for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and could use some help on the blueline.

Reuniting the dynamic pairing of Jones and Zach Werenski would be dangerous. They also have the most cap space of anyone in the NHL, making it no problem to absorb his $9.5 million average annual salary.

#2. Florida Panthers

The Florida Panthers are another great fit for Seth Jones. The defending Stanley Cup champions are poised for another deep playoff run in 2024-25. However, they have a glaring weakness on the blueline after Brandon Montour and Oliver Ekman-Larsson left in free agency.

They're particularly thin on the right side, making Jones a perfect trade target for Bill Zito. The only issue is that Florida has little salary cap space. Matthew Tkachuk (lower body) going on LTIR could solve that.

#3. Edmonton Oilers

The team the Florida Panthers beat in the Stanley Cup Finals was the Edmonton Oilers. Just like the Panthers, Edmonton is in the midst of another Stanley Cup or bust season.

With Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl still in their primes, dominating the league, general manager Stan Bowman must be all-in. John Klingberg was a nice addition, but they could still use another defenseman. The money will be tight, but Edmonton could make it work.

#4. Toronto Maple Leafs

Another Canadian team that should be all-in is the Toronto Maple Leafs. With star forwards Mitch Marner and John Tavares in the final years of the deals as pending UFA's, it feels like this season is make or break for the Leafs.

The "Core Four" has had many kicks at the can but has yet to break through with a deep playoff run. In what could be the last dance with all four of them together, they have to add to their team.

The defense core has improved greatly in recent years, though they've struggled to find a partner for Morgan Rielly. Seth Jones could complete a nice pairing with Rielly, allowing Jake McCabe and Chris Tanev to stay together as a shutdown duo.

#5. Dallas Stars

Seth Jones was born in Arlington, Texas, making the Dallas Stars an obvious landing spot. The Stars once again look like a juggernaut ready to push through and win a Stanley Cup. They're very deep up front, though lacking on the right side of their blueline.

Jones would immediately become their No. 1 right-handed defenseman, helping take some of the load off Miro Heiskanen. With Tyler Seguin on LTIR, the Stars have some wiggle room to pull off a big move ahead of the deadline.