Blackhawks’ Foligno on Jones trade talks: ‘Never gonna bleed into his game’
For the first time since reports emerged that Chicago Blackhawks blueliner Seth Jones approached the team about a potential trade, his captain is speaking out.
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Since the first reports that Chicago Blackhawks blueliner Seth Jones approached the team about a potential trade, one of his teammates is speaking out.
“Obviously, you wish he felt differently, but he has his reasons and rightfully so,” captain Nick Foligno said, according to The Athletic‘s Mark Lazerus. “One thing though is, it’s never gonna bleed into his game.”
Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times reported on Wednesday that Jones and the Blackhawks are discussing the possibility of a trade, with the defenceman explaining, “I would like to give myself a chance to win in my career.”
Foligno doesn’t begrudge Jones the desire to chase a Stanley Cup victory, and reiterated how much the 30-year-old rearguard cares about the rebuilding Blackhawks group.
“Maybe he has a rough night, it shouldn’t be, ‘Oh Seth doesn’t care.’ Seth cares,” Foligno said. “Seth cares a lot. I think that’s why he feels the way he feels. For all of us in here, it doesn’t change what he brings leadership-wise. He’s gonna continue to show up.”
Jones made that clear himself on Wednesday, acknowledging his commitment to the club that traded for him back in 2021 for as long as he’s a member of the team.
“If it happens, it happens,” Jones said. “Obviously, while I’m here with the Blackhawks, they have my full effort [and] full attention to this team to try to get this team better.”
Jones signed an eight-year, $76-million contract with the Blackhawks shortly after his trade, carrying a cap hit of $9.5 million and making him the fourth-highest paid defenceman in the NHL.
Jones has six goals and 20 assists in 38 games this season for the 17-31-7 Blackhawks and in 255 games with the club, he has a minus-102.
“Winning games makes you feel better,” Jones said Wednesday. “It makes the team feel better. It makes your organization feel better. You have fun coming to the rink every day. That’s what my goal is for this team, as long as I’m here. It could be two weeks. It could be five more years.”
The NHL trade deadline is March 7.
