Fort Lauderdale – Seth Jones is calm.
After being acquired by the Chicago Blackhawks in a pre-trade deal earlier this month, the veteran defenseman quickly became a key player for the Florida Panthers.
Stepping up in the absence of both Aaron Ekblad and Dmitry Kulikov, Jones recorded three points (one goal, two assists) and 13 blocking shots in 11 games since the trade.
Meanwhile, he leads the Panthers with total ice time at 281:30.
“He’s a great guy,” forward Anton Randell said of Jones. Jones arrived with the Panthers with over 800 NHL experiences. “I’m really happy to have him by our side. I was following him when he played for other teams and now that I can play with him, you really see how good he is, how skilled he is. He makes all the right decisions.”
With just 10 games left in the regular season, the Panthers were fighting to score first in the Atlantic Division, so they had the opportunity to catch alongside Jones following Saturday’s practice at the Baptist Health Iceplex.
Olive: How do you feel about your first few weeks as a Panther?
Jones: It feels good! I got home and moved everything out of Chicago. Now I can focus on hockey. It was an exciting transition. There are lots of new faces, lots of new things, but I feel good.
Olive: Arrived with the Panthers on a contract that will be run throughout the 2029-30 season. How great is it for a new team when you know you can plant some roots?
Jones: That’s good. It’s so pleasant, but it’s good to be in this organization now, play winning hockey and play meaningful games in April, May and June. I learn from the people here every day and try to improve.
Olive: Since joining the Panthers, you’ve spent quite a bit of time on the road. How much have those trips helped you develop relationships with your new teammates?
Jones: That was good. I’m starting to build relationships with everyone. The road helps it – dinner or something like that. We’re quite a bit around each other. We’ll be moving forward again this week. The relationship outside the ice is clearly converted to on ice. I’m just trying to fit into the group and do what I can to help the team.
Olive: Have you had the opportunity to explore the area during your limited time in South Florida?
Jones: A little. When I first got here, I was out on the beach at the hotel for a week or two. I found some good Italian, some good sushi spots. I actually love cooking, so I’ve been doing a bit since I left the hotel and moved to the house. That’s good. The weather is changing and is always good. You can always take a walk around the neighborhood or head to the beach. In that sense, you can escape from hockey.
Olive: How much did you need to adjust your wardrobe for the weather topic?
Jones: Yes, I think the trench coats and sweatshirts have been gone for a while (laughs). I had a lot of winter stuff from Chicago. I’ve brought a lot of it, but it might be time to store it.
Olive: When you arrived at the Panthers, coach Paul Maurice spoke a lot about the adjustments you have to make, from a system perspective and about your playing style at the Eastern Conference. How was the transition going a few weeks later?
Jones: The guy in the D zone was certainly a transition. I played zones essentially my entire career. It’s off, like that. It’s a transition, and the neutral zone is also a little bit. Wing Lock is a 1-1-3 we play and a transition. I do lots of videos with my coach every day before and after the game. I’ve tweaked the little things and worked on the habits after playing on the same system for 10 years. It’s going well and hopefully I’m getting better at all the games.
