Worldwide Sports News

The Chicago Blackhawks' big trade deadline move was trading Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Spencer Knight and more. This trade has set the Blackhawks up nicely for the future, and while Jones came in at the perfect time to Florida with Aaron Ekblad missing the rest of the regular season, Jones' numbers have been troubling.

The eye test hasn't looked as bad as what Jones' numbers really are. Since joining the Panthers, he has been on the ice for one goal for and six against at 5-on-5. Every single other Panther defenseman to play for them this season, no matter how long, other than Adam Boqvist (on the ice for eight goals for and nine against) has at least been on the ice at 5-on-5 for as many goals for as against. Jones' difference is big through just eight games.

It's not like Jones' has gotten unlucky either. His expected goals for percentage is the lowest among Panthers d-men to suit up for them this season as well with 44.97%. Again, only Boqvist was close to him, but still better.

There are many more poor analytics to support the struggles in Florida so far. The Panthers' shooting percentage when Jones is on the ice at 5-on-5 is 1.61%. The lowest team shooting percentage when any other Panthers defenseman is on the ice is 7.69%. This is too big of a gap to be more than a fluke.

Jones has a 46.02 Corsi For %, 46.2 Fenwick For %, 48.06 Shots For %, 43.7 Scoring Chances For %, and 42.59 High Danger Chances For %. All of these are the lowest among the nine d-men to play for Florida this season.

The numbers should get better, but it is not encouraging for the Panthers who just invested a lot into having Jones on the team for a number of years. Meanwhile, in Chicago, the Blackhawks might not be winning, but there are plenty of talented young d-men who are developing in the AHL and NHL and haven't been overpaid and underperformed yet.

Visit The Hockey News Chicago Blackhawks team site to stay updated on the latest news, game day coverage, player features, and more.

The NHL’s Eastern Conference race for the final wild-card berth is coming down to a select few teams, and two of those teams are headed in different directions: the New York Rangers, who have lost their last three games and are 3-5-2 in their past 10 games, and their arch-rivals, the New York Islanders, who have won three straight games and are 6-3-1 in their past 10 games. The Rangers look to be out of gas as they attempt to edge out the Montreal Canadiens for the final wild-card spot. At the same time, the Islanders are one spot closer to ousting the Canadiens, sitting an identical two points behind Montreal but with a superior point percentage to the Rangers.

Not all the news is good news in the Isles’ favor. As per Tankathon, the Islanders have the fifth-toughest remaining schedule, while the Rangers have the 14th-toughest schedule. But it’s the way the Rangers have lost of late that is so disheartening for Blueshirts fans. The Rangers have generated just five goals in their past three losses to Calgary, Edmonton and Toronto, and their loss to the Maple Leafs came on the second night of a back-to-back series of games for the Leafs. The Rangers were rested and in their home building against Toronto, but they came out flat and unable to take advantage of the Leafs. And while they’re only two points behind Montreal, the Rangers don’t look like a team that believes in itself right now.

The Islanders, on the other hand, have beaten the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Canadiens in their current win streak. And the Isles have scored four goals in each of their past three wins – a good harbinger of what they’re capable of as they try to sneak into the playoffs for the second-straight season.

There are others still in the race for the final wild-card spot, but like the Rangers, they’re all struggling to be at their best currently. The Columbus Blue Jackets are 2-7-1 in their past 10 games, the Detroit Red Wings are 2-8-0 and the Boston Bruins are 3-6-1. None of those teams look like they’re hungry enough and focused enough to rise through the ranks and land the last wild-card berth. And that’s why it could prove to come down to the Rangers and Islanders.

The NHL’s schedule-maker has set the table for what could be a season-defining game between the Rangers and Isles. On April 10, the Islanders and Rangers square off against each other at UBS Arena – and considering the Isles have a 0-3-0 record this season against the Rangers, you’d think the Rangers would have the psychological advantage heading into that game. But if the Rangers continue to falter in the games leading up to that final showdown, that game may not matter.

In any case, the wild-card race could come down to the final week of the regular season. And while it could be a case of someone – maybe the Islanders or Rangers – backing into a wild-card berth, there could be a team that seizes the opportunity now before them and finds a way to thrive the rest of the way this season en route to a playoff spot.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.