Hours before the 2021 NHL draft was slated to kick off, the Chicago Blackhawks made a splash by snagging Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones. Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman was banking on the team’s surprisingly successful 2020-2021 season to continue on an upward trajectory with this move. The goal was for Jones to join the resurging Hawks and be the missing puzzle piece to propel them back into playoff contention. However, what transpired post-trade was quite the opposite of what was initially envisioned. And now, nearly three years later, let’s take a look back at this monumental trade.
In the deal that sent Jones to Chicago, the Blackhawks gave up a hefty package to the Blue Jackets. The trade saw Adam Boqvist, a 2021 first-round pick, a 2021 second-round pick, and a conditional 2022 first-round pick heading to Columbus. The condition on the 2022 pick stipulated that if it fell within the top two, it would then become a 2023 first-round pick.
The writing was on the wall for Jones in the 2021 NHL offseason. He had made it clear to Columbus that he had no intentions of signing a long-term deal with the team, essentially forcing the Blue Jackets’ hand to make a move. The big question mark surrounding Jones at the time was his on-ice performance, as he was coming off two lackluster seasons in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. His recent struggles had put other teams on high alert when it came to trading for him and potentially extending his contract. Despite all this, the Blackhawks took a leap of faith and paid a steep price to acquire Jones that offseason.
The Blackhawks found themselves in a peculiar position during the 2021 offseason. Despite missing out on the playoffs, Chicago had managed to finish the season just one game below .500 in a fiercely competitive Central Division. The team even held a playoff spot for a stretch before faltering towards the end of the season. Could the Blackhawks have replicated that success in an 82-game season? It seemed unlikely. Yet, that one promising season was enough for management to believe that the team had what it takes to make a playoff push once again.
The trade for Jones came at a time when the Blackhawks were riding high on unexpected performances from rookies Kevin Lankinen and Pius Suter. Additionally, stalwarts like Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat had delivered standout performances, while Vinnie Hinostroza, acquired through a midseason trade with the Florida Panthers, had experienced a late-season resurgence.
Stan Bowman’s desperation to keep the Blackhawks’ window of contention open was evident in this move. Immediately following the trade, the Hawks inked Jones to an 8-year, $76,000,000 contract with a $9,500,000 Average Annual Value (AAV). The debate over whether the Blackhawks had overpaid for Jones was certainly up for discussion, but one thing that was unanimously agreed upon was that the contract was a significant splurge on a player who hadn’t produced elite numbers in recent seasons.
Only time will tell how this blockbuster trade will ultimately be judged in the annals of Blackhawks history. But one thing is certain ā the Seth Jones saga will remain an intriguing chapter in the team’s narrative for years to come.
