As we discussed here on Friday, there’s no question that one of the most likely trade chips for the Blackhawks is defenseman Seth Jones. The veteran blueliner has been labeled by many as Stan Bowman’s “final parting gift” – he’s consistently the worst player on the ice and also the highest-paid, as his $9.5 million AAV will be paid until 2030. It certainly doesn’t help that he hasn’t displayed much effort and certainly hasn’t been worthy of his alternate captain title; he’s the last guy on the ice and the first guy off it during practice and has refused to speak to the media multiple times in the past month.
However, as an RHD that skates nearly 25 minutes per night, Jones could still hold a lot of value. With multiple sources reporting that teams are calling about the Blackhawks’ defenseman, it’s time to explore what Jones might be worth at the trade deadline.
“According to separate sources, the Blackhawks are willing to move Jones – under the right circumstances, of course – and would also be open to retaining some of his contract, which comes with a $9.5 million salary cap hit.”
– David Pagnotta, The Fourth Period
Jones would be a much more valuable asset to both the Blackhawks and their potential trade partners if his contract wasn’t so terrible. Everyone expected Chicago to retain some of his salary in a potential trade, but it’s interesting to hear that they’re actually willing to. There could be some hesitation based on the length of his contract – by the time it expires, the Blackhawks will be hoping to contend and will be near the salary cap ceiling.
New reports were released on Friday that suggested that based on a development with the league’s escrow withholding rate, that cap ceiling for next season could go higher than the $93 million mark that many initially expected. That’s a pretty big jump from the current $88 million mark and could have big implications at the trade deadline. Would teams be willing to take on more of Jones’ salary if they had more room to work with? Logically, yes.
The situation depends largely on how both the Blackhawks and another team value a minute-eating defenseman, but at this point, I’d get rid of Jones for almost nothing if a team could take on most of his contract. Would Chicago deal him for future considerations and retain $3 million of his salary? There’s probably a team out there that could pay $6.5 million for him with the newly raised salary cap, and $3 million will hardly hinder the Blackhawks as they sign richer contracts.
It would be wiser for Chicago to minimize Jones’ retained salary rather than grabbing another draft pick or low-level prospect they don’t need. If a team is willing to give up a high-upside forward, great. But the Blackhawks are at a stage where they need blue-chip prospects and young NHLers – they’ve got plenty of late-round picks.
It’s true that Jones’ contract contains one of Bowman’s famous no-move clauses, but that shouldn’t pose a problem in potential trade talks. He’s made it clear with his actions and his words that he wants out of Chicago, and the Blackhawks are poised to give him that opportunity.
