The Chicago Blackhawks will be missing their leading defenseman for the next month. Veteran blue liner Seth Jones suffered a right foot injury in a recent game against the Seattle Kraken and has been placed on injured reserve.
The team now has a timeline for Jones’ return, with NHL.com reporting that he is anticipated to be out for four weeks, likely resuming play around the holiday and New Year’s period. Prior to his injury, Jones was enjoying a strong season, leading the NHL in average ice time with 25:43 minutes per game. The young Chicago roster was heavily relying on the 30-year-old defenseman, who had bounced back impressively, recording two goals and eight assists for a total of 10 points in the first 17 games.
With Jones sidelined, the already thin defensive group will be further strained. Expect 23-year-old Alex Vlasic to shoulder additional responsibilities over the next month. Vlasic was already logging the most ice time of his career, averaging over 23 minutes per game, and that number might increase during Jones’ absence.
Additionally, the Blackhawks have several depth defenders who will need to step up. Alec Martinez, the team’s major free-agent acquisition, brings experience from his time with the Los Angeles Kings and Vegas Golden Knights. T.J. Brodie and Connor Murphy are also respected NHL defensemen, and although neither is a top-pairing player, they can help mitigate the impact of Jones’ absence. The team will need to adopt a collective effort to manage the situation while their key defender recovers.
