Seth Jones had himself a night in Columbus, and the Florida Panthers left Nationwide Arena with a 7-3 win and a defenseman who had stamped his name into the team record book.
Jones piled up four assists in Tuesday’s blowout of the Blue Jackets, matching both his career high and the Panthers’ franchise mark for assists in a single game by a defenseman. Only Bryan McCabe on Oct. 16, 2010, Brian Campbell on Oct. 17, 2011 and Aaron Ekblad on March 10, 2022 had done it before in a Panthers sweater.
The four-helper showing was the second time Jones reached that number in his career. The first came in 2024, when he was with the Chicago Blackhawks.
“I’ve played with a lot of great players this year,” Jones said after the win. “I try to do my part and be the best player I can be out there - whether it’s 5-on-5 or special teams. I’m making some plays to some great players, and they’re putting the puck in the net.”
Head coach Paul Maurice pointed to the work Jones put in over the summer with Aaron Ekblad.
“He had a great summer of training with Aaron Ekblad,” Maurice said. “They spent the entire time here, for the most part, in Florida.
They trained hard. He’s a fit, fit man.
He’s a little faster with everything he does and has got a little more confidence.”
The numbers back up the hot start. Through seven games, the 32-year-old is tied for fifth among NHL defensemen in scoring with seven points, including one goal and six assists, while averaging 25:52 of ice time per game.
When Jones has been on the ice at 5-on-5, Florida has outscored opponents 42-25 in scoring chances.
“He's been excellent all year,” said teammate Brady Tkachuk, who earned first-star honors with four points, including three goals and one assist, against Columbus. “He's played some big minutes for our team.”
Jones and the Panthers now turn to a two-game homestand, beginning Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks at Amerant Bank Arena at 7 p.m. ET.
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