Seth Jones’ Struggles Highlight the Newest Turmoil for the Blackhawks

NHL

The Chicago Blackhawks 2024-2025 season has been one to forget up to this point, and it does not look like it is getting better anytime soon. Chicago made headlines back in December after firing their head coach Luke Richardson. Now, star defenseman Seth Jones recently saw his ice time take a hit as a result of his poor play. Jones has logged a minus-13 with just three goals and 12 assists this season. As one might expect, Chicago's defense as a whole has been abysmal given the lackluster performance of their star. Chicago ranks 29th in the NHL in goals allowed per game and 28th in shots on goal allowed per game. On Monday, all the struggles and frustration from the Blackhawks’ players, coaches, and fans came crashing down on Seth Jones. 

Jones was booed off home ice after Monday night’s miserable performance in a 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames. Jones was a minus-4 despite only having 16 minutes of ice time due to his restriction. The key play that led to the boos from the Blackhawks’ fans was a turnover from Jones in the neutral zone that led to a shorthanded Calgary goal just moments after Connor Bedard scored to gain momentum for Chicago. The shorthanded goal ended up being the nail in the coffin for the Blackhawks as they did not score again after that moment. 

Jones is the Blackhawks’ highest-paid player by a sizable margin with a $9.5-million cap hit through the 2028 season. Jones’ large contract has been under scrutiny ever since it was signed by Jones three years ago due in large part to Jones’ well-known issues on defense throughout his career. Jones has been known as an “offensive defenseman”, but he has struggled to produce on the offensive end this season as previously mentioned with his three goals on the year. “That’s what comes with the territory of the contract that I got, and I’m willing to stand in front of that,” Jones said in response to the boos during Monday night’s contest. Jones has had a positive plus-minus in just three of his last 10 games, and the Blackhawks have lost nine of their last 11 games while ranking dead last in the NHL.

Colin Meehan

Colin Meehan is a sophomore at the University of Missouri majoring in Broadcast Journalism. He does student radio and reporting for Mizzou Student Media.

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