The Chicago Blackhawks are already looking ahead to the March 7 trade deadline with some options to deal off their current roster. Two early candidates are forwards Ryan Donato and Taylor Hall. Both veteran forwards are on expiring contracts when the season comes to a close, and with the Blackhawks currently sitting tied for last in the entire league in points it makes sense to trade them away for the right price.
There are multiple veterans on the squad that don’t appear to be heading anywhere in March, regardless of the success that they are having this year. It is important for the front office to keep some consistent pieces around Connor Bedard and the rest of Chicago’s young blossoming core. A late rumor has a key member of Chicago’s defensive group in trade talks.
Chicago Blackhawks’ Seth Jones is in trade talks
Despite being on a massive contract with plenty of control, the Spittin Chiclets podcast has reason to believe that Seth Jones is a name being tossed around in trade rumors. Jones has played in 31 games this season and has four goals and 16 assists to go along with his plus/minus rating of -11.
“Teams apparently are calling,” Ryan Whitney said. “Dallas is one of the teams being thrown out there.”
When Whitney asked co-host Paul Bissonnette about his thought regarding Jones on a team like the Stars, he brought up a parallel to a pervious deadline move in the NHL.
“I think that Seth Jones on a team (like the Stars), considering when (Chris) Tanev went to Dallas, everything he provided for them, I’m not saying Jones is him, but I will say from watching games he’s been in this year he looked a lot more fluid than in year’s past,” Bissonnette said.
Tanev was shipped to Dallas from Calgary last season after playing in 56 games with the Flames. The now 35-year-old was exactly what he Stars needed to close out the season. He served as a veteran right-defenseman who didn’t put up gaudy numbers, but stayed consistent and did the job that was asked of him without taking too many mistakes.
Jones could serve a similar purpose on a team like Dallas, but his contract means that he would be more than just a short-term option. The Stars would have to keep Jones around for another five seasons and likely pay a good amount of his $9.5 million salary per year.
The yearly salary will be a big issue for Chicago and getting any deal for Jones over the finish line. The team will have to pick up at least half of his salary per season to make something work, and even then they might not get the return that they are looking for.
A Seth Jones trade would pave the way for a new wave of defensemen
Dealing Jones away would officially open the flood gates for the future defensive core in Chicago. Alex Vlasic is just the tip of the iceberg when to comes to seeing what the franchise has in store on the back end down the road. 2024 first round draft pick Artyom Levshunov is currently developing in Rockford and looks to be a future star in the making based on his build.
Sam Rinzel has been making waves this season at Minnesota, giving Blackhawk fans plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the right side defense for years to come. Along with these three, Nolan Allen is putting together a fine first season in the NHL, and Ethan Del Mastro just called up from Rockford on Thursday to return to the NHL for the first time this season.
If the Blackhawks can find a trade for Jones that makes sense in terms of finances and the return for the 30-year-old, there is no reason to not go through with it if you are general manager Kyle Davidson.
Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson gives an update on the state of the team’s rebuild
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