Recall the moment when Seth Jones made a pointed remark about the Chicago Blackhawks, saying, “It was a tough 4 years in Chicago.” With all the uncertainty in Chi-town amidst their seemingly never-ending rebuild, it’s no wonder that Jones was, well, jonesing (pardon the pun) for a move before the trade deadline. But even after packing his bags and getting his sunglasses ready for the Sunshine State, Jones hasn’t been exempted from fan criticism.

The Hawks have been struggling in the NHL, and Jones delivered his candid thoughts reflecting on his experiences during his time with the team. In 2021, Jones inked an 8-year, $76 million deal with the franchise, united by a common objective. His ambition was to join a premier team, while the Hawks aimed to reestablish themselves as a leading force. As time went on, the circumstances surrounding the franchise stayed largely unchanged, which weighed heavily on the defenseman, prompting him to take action.

This season, he played in 42 games with the Hawks, netting 7 goals, providing 20 assists, and totaling 27 points. Quite decent numbers for a defenseman. But after joining the Panthers, his impact has been minimal, as evidenced by his performance in 7 games, where he has recorded 0 goals and 1 assist, for a total of 1 point.

Recently, members of the Blackhawks subreddit noted this performance issue. u/thetrob reported, “Panthers have lost 3 of their last 4 and Jones has had a negative plus/minus each game. Today the Panthers had a 2-0 lead going into the 3rd and lost 4-2 with Jones being on the Ice for 3 or the 4. As normal he’s playing lots of minutes. He’s great as a 2nd pairing D, with Ekblad out he has to play top pair and it shows his deficiencies.”

Even with Seth Jones on their roster, this Reddit user pointed out that the Panthers have suffered defeats in their recent games. The franchise’s most recent encounter with the New York Islanders concluded with their defeat, 4-2. Though the Panthers did wake up in the second period after a lethargic first.

Nonetheless, the Reddit user aimed to highlight that during Jones’s time on the ice, the Islanders managed to net four goals in just the third period. The outcome now hinges on the defenseman’s performance, which fell short of expectations during the match. What was the reaction of the other Blackhawks fans to their former player?

Seth Jones is facing the same criticisms

The sharp remarks made by Seth Jones prior to the trade continue to resonate with Blackhawks fans. Observing the struggles of a former player with his new team, this fan expressed, “He’s never been anything more than average in his own end, and he doesn’t do enough offensively to make up for his defensive shortcomings.” In a related observation, this fan remarked, “He’s the exact same player he was in game 1 of the season. It’s pretty evident out there. He hasn’t made any strides to be a better, more simple hockey player, and it shows.” Clearly there is no love lost between Jones and Hawks fans.

Nonetheless, one fan posed a question for the Panthers, asking, “Did they expect anything better??” Considering Jones never quite fully lived up to his potential during his time in Chicago and was often the punching bag of the team, as per the New York Times, it’s perhaps only natural that Hawks fans would pose this question.

Similarly, one fan has conveyed a message to the Panthers, saying, “I tried to warn them after the trade went through.”

On the other hand, this dedicated supporter of the Hawks expressed pride in the team’s decision to trade Jones, declaring, “The Blackhawks did well to get their next good goalie in exchange for Seth Jones!” The Panthers are leading their division and are one of the top favorites for the Cup. Will the Seth Jones trade play out in their favor? We’ll have to wait and see, though the Hawks faithful have certainly voiced their vote of no confidence.