The Columbus Blue Jackets decided during the winter of 2016 to rebuild their team from the back end out and they chose to make Jones the cornerstone of that rebuild, acquiring the defenseman in a trade with the Nashville Predators on Jan. 6, 2016.
A right-handed shooter who possesses the passing and puck-handling skills to be an offensive catalyst, Jones is a quiet, low-maintenance player who grew up in a basketball family that has since transformed into a hockey family that can boast of having two NHL-caliber players.
The Columbus Blue Jackets decided during the winter of 2016 to rebuild their team from the back end out and they chose to make Jones the cornerstone of that rebuild, acquiring the defenseman in a trade with the Nashville Predators on Jan. 6, 2016.
A right-handed shooter who possesses the passing and puck-handling skills to be an offensive catalyst, Jones is a quiet, low-maintenance player who grew up in a basketball family that has since transformed into a hockey family that can boast of having two NHL-caliber players.
The son of former NBA player Popeye Jones, Seth was the first to garner the attention of the NHL when he was selected by the Predators with the No. 4 pick in the 2013 NHL Draft. Two years later, his brother, Caleb, was selected in the fourth round (No. 117) by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Seth and Caleb started playing hockey while living in Denver, but not before they spent a year learning how to skate, which was the advice their father received from former Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic when he first told Sakic of Seth's interest in hockey.
Seth quickly caught on and eventually joined the United States National Team Development Program. He chose junior hockey over playing college hockey and joined Portland of the Western Hockey League for the 2012-13 season.
That proved to be a breakout year for Jones, who produced 56 points (14 goals) in 61 games and another 15 points (five goals) in 21 playoff games. He also registered seven points (one goal) in seven games to help the United States win a gold medal at the 2013 World Junior Championship.
Jones, who was rated the top prospect for the 2013 Draft, made the jump to the NHL and fit in immediately, logging 19:37 of ice time per game at age 19 and finishing 11th in the Calder Trophy balloting for NHL Rookie of the Year after producing 25 points (six goals) in 77 games and blocking 99 shots, third most on the team.
Jones' average ice time and point totals increased each of the next two years, as did the contributions he made to his team's power play, where he produced 33 points (five goals) over his first three seasons.
Slated to be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2016, Jones signed a six-year contract extension with the Blue Jackets on June 29, 2016.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- WHL West First All-Star Team (2013)
- WHL Rookie of the Year (2013)
- Canadian Major Junior Top Prospect of the Year (2013)
- Played in NHL All-Star Game (2017)
- Traded to Columbus by Nashvile for Ryan Johansen, January 6, 2016.
