A potential Seth Jones trade to the Edmonton Oilers may sound intriguing, but it’s far from the solution Edmonton needs. ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski suggested the Oilers might be a fit due to Jones’ prior connection with new Oilers GM Stan Bowman, who initially signed him in Chicago. However, despite Edmonton’s glaring need for a top-four right-shot defenseman, trading for Jones would be a mistake for multiple reasons.
First, Jones’ contract is problematic. He carries a hefty $9.25 million cap hit through 2029-30, an amount that would severely restrict the Oilers’ ability to address other needs. Edmonton already has limited cap space, and committing to a long-term deal like Jones’ would make it almost impossible to tackle everything on the team’s to-do list. With stars like Leon Draisaitl (already signed), Connor McDavid, and Evan Bouchard nearing their next contracts, adding a bloated contract like Jones’ isn’t a smart option.
This isn’t even accounting for what Stuart Skinner might be worth in the future or the fact the Oilers already have their own bloated contract in Darnell Nurse. Any expectation that Chicago might retain salary on Jones should be tempered. Teams don’t tend to eat a lot of money when players have several seasons still on their deal.
Second, there’s no guarantee that Jones’ underperformance in Chicago is solely due to playing on a struggling team. His minus-90 rating in 217 games with the Blackhawks is the second-worst in the NHL over that span. As much as it would be nice to chalk it up to the Blackhawks’ rebuild, the Oilers can’t assume this isn’t on the player too.
Finally, Jones has a full no-move clause, meaning he controls his fate. Even if Edmonton pursued a deal, Jones could refuse to waive his clause and opt to stay in Chicago, waiting out the rebuild and being on the club when Connor Bedard starts to take over the league.
This Is Not the Trade the Oilers Need to Be Looking At
Yes, Jones has a history with Stan Bowman. But, this is a GM who just let two players in Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway walk away so the team could keep cap flexibility moving forward. Adding Jones will all but wipe that out.
A player like Jones could bolster Edmonton’s defensive depth, but the risks far outweigh the rewards. Just because he eats a lot of minutes doesn’t make him the best fit. And, if he doesn’t mesh with Nurse, the Oilers are hooped.
Jones’ cap hit, questionable recent performance, and ability to block a trade make this idea more of a fantasy (even that’s debatable) than a legitimate option for Edmonton.
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