Seth Jones has reached the playoffs just five times in 12 seasons, but he anticipates plenty more postseason runs with the Florida Panthers. He made an immediate impact in his debut Monday night, earning praise from his new teammates.
Jones hadn’t made the playoffs since his trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets to Chicago Blackhawks in 2021, growing frustrated with the Blackhawks’ direction. Now with the Panthers, he sees a clear difference.
“When you look at the standard in the NHL,” Jones said, “this is it.”
The defending Stanley Cup champions needed Jones to bolster their defense, and he needed a team like the Panthers to compete at a high level.
“I’ve gotten a taste of playoffs in my career and I’ve wanted to get back to it. Heightened level of excitement getting to play this kind of hockey,” Jones said in his interview via Katie Engleson after the first quarter of their match against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night.
Caught up with new #FlaPanthers defenceman, Seth Jones after the first period.
“I’ve gotten a taste of playoffs in my career and I’ve wanted to get back to it. Heightened level of excitement getting to play this kind of hockey.” pic.twitter.com/7Ieg48AgMU
— Katie Engleson (@KatieEngleson) March 4, 2025
Seth Jones first game with the Panthers
Jones logged nearly 23 minutes on the ice and came close to scoring in the Panthers’ 2-1 victory over their in-state rival, the Lightning.
“I wanted to play for a contender and Florida was obviously at the top of my list when it came to that,” said Jones, who hasn’t appeared in a playoff game since 2020. “I want to fit in with this team, be a part of the system, come and bring my game, play hard defensively, help a little bit offensively, really just fit into the system and bring what I can, whatever’s asked of me.”
Before Jones even stepped onto the ice Monday night, Panthers fans showed their excitement, greeting the five-time All-Star with loud applause and a warm ovation when he was introduced in the starting lineup at Florida’s Amerant Bank Arena.
The crowd erupted again when Jones nearly found the back of the net in the second period.
Although the initial plan was to ease him into the lineup as he adjusted to the Eastern Conference and new systems, the intensity of a close rivalry game quickly changed that. Jones logged significant special teams minutes and played a key role in Florida’s penalty kill, helping the Panthers fend off seven power plays.
GM Bill Zito orchestrated one of the season’s biggest trades, acquiring Jones and a fourth-round pick from the Blackhawks in exchange for Spencer Knight and a first-round selection.
Jones, the fourth overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft—where teammate Aleksander Barkov went second—established himself as a top-tier defenseman but carried a heavy workload in Chicago. In Florida, he joins a deep roster, easing the burden he once shouldered with the Blackhawks.
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