The Chicago Blackhawks just continued to lose in 2024-25, the latest a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the Utah Hockey Club on Tuesday night. And veteran defenseman Seth Jones did not hold back after yet another disappointing final result.

“We’re the exact same team right now as we have been in game 1. It’s quite obvious and accessible,” Jones told journalists while requesting what needs to trade. “We haven’t made any strides to be a better, simpler hockey team, and it shows.”

The Hawks spent a ton of time inside the penalty box, taking 5 minor penalties throughout the game. And even though Utah didn’t score with the man advantage, Jones points to that as a key reason why the squad is suffering to have success.

“We do not get loads of wins because of that. This has been nearly 4 years of the backside of the league, so it is not just this year. It does not help. It places a whole lot of stress on [goaltender Arvid Soderblom]. It simply kills momentum,” Jones stated.

“We have one or two suitable shifts in a row, and then you definitely take a penalty. We had three in the first, two in the second; 10 minutes is a long time on the kill; you do not get the flow of the guys going offensively; guys have a sit, after which it is tough to get something going. Staying out of the box is key. We have zero chance of winning if [our goalie] does not stand on his head.”

Jones gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead on the power play on Tuesday night; however, it truly is all the offense the team would muster in Salt Lake City. Utah forward Clayton Keller tied the game late in the second period, and than Lawson Crouse scored the eventual game-winning goal midway through the final frame

With that, the Hawks have lost four games in a row and fallen to 17-34-7. The roster should honestly appear a lot different between now and the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline; however, will Jones be one of the players getting a change of scenery sometime within the next 9 days?

Will the Chicago Blackhawks trade Seth Jones ahead the deadline?

The Chicago Blackhawks entered the 2024-25 campaign hoping to see some development after a 15th place finish in the Western Conference last season. With Connor Bedard clean off winning the Calder Trophy, the hope in the Windy City was that the team would be much more competitive this time around.

But through 58 games, that simply hasn’t been the case. With 41 losses on the campaign—34 of them in regulation—only the San Jose Sharks have lost more games. Chicago was outshot 36-22 against the Utah Hockey Club, with the shot attempts favoring Utah 93-39.

It became just another brutal display for the Hawks, and there have been reviews that Jones might welcome a potential trade to a contending team. But that is not going to take place, as his $9.5 million cap hit may be nearly impossible to dump. Now in the third season of an eight-year contract he signed with the team back in July of 2021, he owns a full no-movement clause through the 2029-30 season.

“We all realize the complete story and what happened when I got here,” Jones informed the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope last week. “I would really like to present myself as a chance to win in my career. I understand that the money is not an easy thing to move, and that’s what we’re figuring out. If it happens, it happens. Obviously, while I’m here with the Blackhawks, they have my full effort [and] full attention to this team to try to get this team better.”

Jones hasn’t grown to become a formal trade request, and the most likely scenario is that he remains in Chicago past the alternate deadline.