Jones muses on time in Columbus; Blackhawks fall short in wild 7-4 loss to Blue Jackets
When Seth Jones was traded from Nashville to Columbus in the middle of the 2015-16 season, he landed on a team that finished dead last in the Metropolitan Division.
One year later, though, the Blue Jackets racked up 50 wins and qualified for the playoffs for just the third time in their 17-year history.
Three more successful seasons - including an epic upset of top-ranked Tampa Bay in the first round of the 2019 playoffs - followed for Jones, Zach Werenski, Artemi Panarin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Co.
"When I got there, we were kinda write-offs," Jones said before the Blackhawks dropped a 7-4 decision to the Blue Jackets at the United Center on Thursday. "We grew every single year with Torts (coach John Tortorella) and the staff. ...
"You saw younger players develop and get better every year and try to reach a common goal, to win a Stanley Cup."
It's enough to make you wonder: Could the current situation in Chicago be déjà vu for Jones? After all, he's once again on an undermanned team hoping its young players develop to the point where they can rise up and be a force across the league.
Only time will tell on that front.
Jones has been solid for the Hawks since being acquired from Columbus for Adam Boqvist and a slew of draft picks. Still, it's worth wondering if he can live up to his $9.5 million cap hit (which kicks in next season) over the life of the eight-year deal.
Jones has 3 goals and 28 assists and is averaging a career-high 26 minutes, 10 seconds time on ice. Those are solid numbers, but they need to improve in the coming seasons to justify the contract and the lost draft capital.
The 27-year-old admitted it wasn't an easy decision to leave Columbus.
"It was tough," Jones said. "I kinda grew in Columbus. I was 21 when I got traded there, and had some great friendships. Loved the city, loved everything about it.
"It definitely wasn't easy for me, but it was the decision I made and I've got to live with it."
Jones, facing his former team for the first time, came within inches of scoring late in the second period, but his shot hit both posts and bounced out.
The goal horn actually sounded, giving the UC crowd hope that the Hawks had just cut Columbus' lead to 4-3, but the referees quickly determined the puck did not cross the line.
Philipp Kurashev (4), Ryan Carpenter (1), MacKenzie Entwistle (5) and Alex DeBrincat (29) scored for the Hawks (18-25-7) in a wildly entertaining game in which Columbus (24-23-1) had leads of 2-0, 4-2 and 5-3.
DeBrincat's goal at 8:58 of the third period made it 5-4, but the Blue Jackets restored their 2-goal lead three minutes later when Oliver Bjorkstrand managed to bury a puck through a scrum in front of the net. Patrik Laine, who scored into an empty net with 4.7 seconds remaining, notched a hat trick and now has 16 goals.
Arvid Soderblom (30 saves) made his second career start for the Hawks.
"Guys were not ready to play and kind of easing their way into it," said interim coach Derek King. "You can't do that when you have a young goalie in there. You've got to be ready when the puck drops and we weren't.
"The poor kid was left out hanging out to dry. Not very nice."
Patrick Kane had an assist, took 13 shots (6 on goal) and played nearly 25 minutes.