SETH JONES FOR SPENCER KNIGHT
The Florida Panthers acquired defenseman Seth Jones and a fourth-round draft pick in 2026 from the Chicago Blackhawks for goaltender Spencer Knight and a conditional first-round draft pick in 2026.
What does it give the Florida Panthers
Florida upgrades their defense with Jones, a two-way defender who can play big-time minutes. He should also fill a key role on special teams, particularly on the power play. The 30-year-old does have five years remaining on a sizeable contract (with a $9.5M annual cap hit), but the Blackhawks retained 26% of his salary in this deal. The Panthers paid a high price, surrendering a promising goaltender in Knight and a first-round pick, but Jones will be a fixture in their top four as they contend this season and beyond.
What does it give the Chicago Blackhawks
Jones was one of few veterans signed long term on the Blackhawks, but they elected to move him amid a very disappointing season. Given his contract, they did well on this return. Knight is still just 23 years old and could now be Chicago's goaltender of the future. He should get plenty of starts the rest of the year, and adds to the team's young talent. Importantly, the rebuilding Blackhawks also secured another first-round pick in the trade too.
Fantasy impact
Jones is having a decent season on offense (27 points in 42 GP), and he now gets a boost joining the high-scoring Panthers. He will likely take over the top power play unit (hurting Aaron Ekblad's value), and his plus-minus should improve immediately. As for Knight, in Chicago he will no longer be blocked by Sergei Bobrovsky, which should mean more starts. That said, behind a struggling defense, Knight will not be a great option in most fantasy leagues in the short term. He still has lots of potential for coming seasons though.
