The Detroit Red Wings have made a major move to boost their defense, officially announcing the acquisition of veteran defenseman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks in a blockbuster trade. This deal comes as Detroit looks to end their playoff drought, and Jones is expected to be a key addition to their blue line.
Trade Details: Red Wings Acquire Seth Jones
In this monumental deal, the Red Wings acquired Jones, who is entering the third year of his eight-year, $76 million contract. In exchange, the Chicago Blackhawks received winger JT Compher, defenseman Justin Holl, and a 2025 third-round draft pick (originally Boston’s).
This trade benefits both teams by allowing them to offload burdensome contracts. Jones, despite struggling to fully live up to the expectations of his massive deal, remains a solid and experienced defenseman. Last season, the five-time NHL All-Star recorded 8 goals and 23 assists for 31 points in 67 games. In Detroit, Jones is expected to serve as either a first- or second-pairing defenseman, providing much-needed stability to the Red Wings’ defense.
Detroit’s Outgoing Players
In return for Jones, Detroit parted ways with Compher and Holl. Compher, a winger who could fit into Chicago’s bottom-six forward group, is entering the second year of his five-year, $25.5 million deal. Last season, he contributed 19 goals and 29 assists for 48 points over 77 games.
Holl, on the other hand, was brought in to bolster Detroit’s defense but struggled to maintain a regular spot in the lineup, even finding himself a healthy scratch at times. He has two years remaining on his three-year, $10.2 million deal, and Chicago will be hoping he can regain his form on their blue line.
Yzerman’s Vision: Improving Detroit’s Defense
Red Wings General Manager Steve Yzerman has made it clear that the team’s goal for the 2024-25 NHL season is to improve defensively. Detroit finished last season with a 41-32-9 record, narrowly missing the playoffs. Yzerman has since made significant offseason additions, including forward Vladimir Tarasenko, goaltender Cam Talbot, and defenseman Erik Gustafsson. Adding Seth Jones is the latest move in Yzerman’s plan to strengthen Detroit’s defense.
“We need to be a better defensive hockey club, top to bottom,” Yzerman said on September 17. “Our special teams improved last season, and we scored more goals, but we gave up too many to make the playoffs. The key, ultimately, to long-term success is being a good defensive hockey team.”
With this major acquisition, Yzerman hopes the Red Wings will be able to make a deeper push and return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season.
Blackhawks Leadership Update: Nick Foligno Named Captain
In other Blackhawks news, Chicago has named veteran forward Nick Foligno as the 35th captain in franchise history. Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson made the announcement ahead of the 2024-25 NHL season. Foligno, who wore the “A” as an alternate captain last season alongside Seth Jones and Connor Murphy, takes on the captaincy after the departure of Jones.
“He’s the perfect man for the job,” said Jones about Foligno. “He’s a great leader, both on and off the ice, and he’s always there to communicate with teammates, whether young or experienced.”
With this trade and leadership change, both the Red Wings and Blackhawks are gearing up for a transformative season. Detroit will be counting on Jones to help lead their charge back to playoff contention, while Chicago looks to rebuild with their younger core under Foligno’s guidance.
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