Down on the Farm: Skating It Forward

Lyndon and Debbie Jones, along with their young daughter, moved from the United Kingdom to Canada prior to the birth of their second child. Both, successful eye doctors in Great Britain followed an opportunity to become professors at the University of Waterloo, 90 minutes outside of Toronto. 
The two assumed their new positions at the School of Optometry and Vision Science, jobs they maintain to this day. Not long after their move across the pond, the couple welcomed their second child, a boy named Ben. 
Ben claims his sister got the “brains of the organization” while he went the athletic route. His sister, Becky went on to become a medical professional like her parents. As she was wrapping up her residency in OB-GYN, her younger brother was clearly going a different direction and would prove he had smarts of his own. 
“My parents have always told me my first word was ball,” said a grinning Ben Jones.  
He started skating at the age of three and by the time he was four Ben was immersed in the game of hockey. Although they didn’t know much about the sport, his parents knew their son loved the game and were told by the neighbors, “it’s what Canadian boys do”.
As he matured, Ben excelled as a two-sport star rotating between soccer and hockey season. He did so well on the ice that he eventually found himself playing in the OHL for Niagara.  
In 2017, in its inaugural draft, the Vegas Golden Knights drafted Jones in the seventh round with the 189th pick. Immediately, the odds of playing in the NHL seemed stacked against him with a steep uphill climb. On average, only 10-15% of picks from the seventh-round play at least one game in the NHL. 
Because of this late selection, he was labeled an underdog. It was motivation for him to work hard and work to prove the odds wrong. 
His rookie season was primarily spent in the AHL with Chicago, but he also played eight games in the ECHL’s 
Ft. Wayne. Two seasons later, as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights' AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, Jones earned his first NHL callup on November 18th with his debut two nights later. The 6-0, 190-pound forward logged eight shifts for 5:34 of ice time as Vegas bested the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2 at T-Mobile Arena. He played one more game before he was assigned back to the AHL. 
Getting his next NHL game would take some time. 
After two seasons in Calgary’s system, the Minnesota Wild signed the centerman to a two-year, two-way deal on July 1, 2024. The 27-year-old started the 24-25 season in Des Moines with Wild’s AHL affiliate. He split his season between the two teams, going up and down I-35 like a yo-yo. In all, 26 games in Minnesota and 49 in Iowa. Sometimes, the centerman would sit in the press box and watch games as a healthy scratch. He leaned on his teammates for the best way to cope. 
“Last year was a good learning experience,” explained Jones. “There are a lot of different things that come with call-ups that don’t get advertised. As a professional hockey player, you dream of being up, but the reality is, it’s hard to be up. And when you’re up, it’s hard to stay up. Part of the gig is being up and down. 
“Then a lot comes with logistics. When you get called up, where’s their team? Where’s our team? How much stuff do you bring, how long do you pack for? It’s a problem that you dream of having.”
Playing up means playing a different game for Jones. 
“You kind of have to flip your brain into two completely different jobs,” said the Iowa Wild Captain. “When you’re up there. I’m playing on the fourth line and a great night is hitting ten minutes of ice time. 
“Whereas in Iowa there’s single periods where I’ll hit ten minutes. It’s a completely different role either a power play, or a penalty kill and I just jump over the boards. You kind of need to get your rest when you can.”
Veteran coach Greg Cronin believes it takes a certain mindset to be able to fill that role. 
“They gotta be humble and playing hockey for the right reasons,” said the Head Coach of the Iowa Wild. Cronin pointed out why Jones can fill that role. 
“He’s reliable. He’s responsible in all three zones. He’s not the fastest player. But, you know, it’s the old adage that if you can think fast, you can play fast. And I do think this is experienced just because of his hockey IQ. He’s able to make up for that with his thinking. He gets himself on the good side of puck battles. Jonesy anticipates well, and most importantly, he’s a is a natural leader.”
“You just have to follow your brain,” explained Jones. “It’s challenging at times. Obviously, when you’re up and you sit out for a few games, and then they want you to jump back in and try to contribute.”
This season has been more of the same, with Jones splitting time between the two clubs. 
Although it took a while in the scoring column, the seventh-year pro was patient despite not picking up a point through his first 49 NHL games. Ironically, one of the longest stretches in NHL history for a player to begin their career without a goal. It came to an end on January 10th, as Jones redirected a Quinn Hughes shot, tipping it past N.Y. Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin first his first NHL goal. The wild forward said there was no pressure with the drought and the waiting made it extra special.
“You see guys jump in and their first shot goes in and it’s like, come on,” he said with a laugh. “The longer the wait just made it that much more special.”
Perhaps the most endearing accomplishment for Jones comes off the ice. In 2022, the second-year Wild centerman created the Ben Jones Foundation, helping kids overcome financial obstacles that prevent them from playing any sport, not just hockey. His awareness of the need came early in life in his observations of his peers. 
“Growing up, I figured out that some kids never get the opportunity that I did,” added Ben. “I was fortunate my parents had the means to put me through. Hockey alone is super expensive. But I could play soccer as well. Money was never the problem. I figured that out even some guys on the teams that I played with, their parents didn’t have the means for that. I always had it in the back of my mind when I turned pro, I wanted to do something about it.”
In January of 2022, The Ben Jones Foundation was launched. Since its origination, the foundation has served to directly benefit children of all backgrounds, allowing them to further connect with the sports they love while helping their families overcome some of the financial challenges associated.
To say it’s gone well is an understatement, the Ben Jones Foundation has raised $70,000 in the first four years. He has a lofty goal of hitting $100,000 this summer. 
“The person I am today, it wouldn’t be possible without the sports I did growing up,” revealed the Wild forward. 
Something tells me, this underdog will get it done.