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NHL Fans React After Panthers Acquire Seth Jones in Blockbuster Trade With Blackhawks

Karl Rasmussen

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones warms up before a game against the Minnesota Wild at United Center.
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones warms up before a game against the Minnesota Wild at United Center. / David Banks-Imagn Images
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The Chicago Blackhawks parted ways with longtime veteran defenseman Seth Jones on Saturday, agreeing to ship him to the reigning champion Florida Panthers in exchange for young goaltender Spencer Knight and a conditional 2026 first-round pick.

It's a deal that made plenty of sense for Chicago, given their current position in the league standings and Jones's contract which pays him $9.5 million per season through the 2029-30 season. After Jones requested a trade a few weeks prior, the Blackhawks were successful in navigating a deal for the 30-year-old and getting (most of) his contract off the books. The team is retaining 26.3% ($2.5 million) of his contract, but they got back some valuable assets in exchange.

As for Jones, he'll get the chance to join a contender, having waived his no-trade clause in order to join the Panthers, who are looking to make another deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

With just a few days to go until the 2025 NHL trade deadline, Florida and Chicago got the ball rolling early, and fans had plenty to say about the blockbuster deal.

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Karl Rasmussen
KARL RASMUSSEN

Karl Rasmussen is a staff writer for the Breaking and Trending News team for Sports Illustrated. A University of Oregon alum who joined SI in February 2023, his work has appeared on 12up and ClutchPoints. Rasmussen is a loyal Tottenham, Jets, Yankees and Ducks fan.

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