NHL rumors: 3 teams that should trade for Seth Jones right now

If the latest NHL rumors about Seth Jones not wanting to re-sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets are true, these three teams should give Columbus a call immediately.

The Columbus Blue Jackets fall from grace since sweeping the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019 has been quick and brutal. They lost both Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky during the 2019 offseason. Since then, Pierre-Luc Dubois, who was though to be their franchise center, has been traded and according to the latest NHL rumors, star defenseman Seth Jones could be next.

Here’s what NHL insider Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet had to say. “Sometime in the last week or so, Seth Jones informed the Columbus Blue Jackets that he will not be re-signing.”

Obviously, things can change very quickly. Maybe Jones would re-consider if they hire the right coach to replace John Tortorella, who is the only coach in Blue Jackets history to win a postseason series. But right now, this isn’t a good sign for the Jackets.

The Blue Jackets have lost a lot of talent over the past two years. That list includes Panarin, Bobrovsky, Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, and Dubois. If Jones gets added to the list, the Jackets need to do some soul searching and figure out why so few players want to stay long-term in Columbus.

All of that said, if Jones truly has no interesting in staying in Ohio long-term, the Blue Jackets need to do the right thing and put him on the trade block. Obviously, you don’t trade him for nothing, but at the same time, the Blue Jackets cannot afford to lose Jones for nothing.

Though Jones had a down year in 2020-21, he’s still regarded as one of the best defensemen in the NHL. There’s a decent argument that he’s overrated, but for that same reason, maybe some team will give up a lot to get him. Here are three teams who would make sense for Seth Jones.

Seth Jones trade destinations that make sense for everyone

3. Detroit Red Wings

Every Stanley Cup contender needs a defenseman to build their blueline around. Currently, the Detroit Red Wings don’t have anyone who fits that description. Moritz Seider might be that guy, but as of May 30, 2021, he has played in as many NHL games as me – zero.

General Manager Steve Yzerman has proven he’s not afraid to pull the trigger on huge moves to improve his team. He’s accumulated an arsenal of valuable draft picks and prospects. At some point, Yzerman’s going to start using said arsenal to acquire talent. Assuming an extension is a part of the trade, Jones would make a lot of sense in Motor City.