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 ($9.5 million AAV), but the Blackhawks retained 26 percent of his salary in this deal. The Panthers paid a high price, giving up a promising goaltender in Knight and a first-round pick, but Jones will be a fixture on defense as they contend this season...and beyond.
What does it give the Chicago Blackhawks
Jones was one of a few veterans signed long term on the Blackhawks, but they elected to move him amid a very disappointing 2024-25 campaign. Given his contract, they did well with this return. Knight is still just 23 years old and could now be considered Chicago's goaltender of the future. He should get plenty of starts for the the rest of the season and probably adds to the team's young core. Importantly, the rebuilding Blackhawks also secured another first-round pick in this 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 might take over the top power-play unit (which may hurt Aaron Ekblad's value), and his plus/minus rating 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.
