We lead off with our 2018-19 player reviews for the Columbus Blue Jackets with No. 3, defenseman, Seth Jones.
Not only first because of numerical order, you can make the case, from an overall perspective, that Jones is the best Blue Jackets player on the team. How you rate a player in your own mind might depend on a couple of different factors, but no matter what those factors are, no one can deny the impact Jones makes on the Blue Jackets, and the 2018-19 season was no exception to that.
He’s only 24-years-old, and yet, the seven-year veteran is among the leaders for the Blue Jackets, wearing the “A”, killing it up and down the ice night in and night out, and bringing a particular calming influence and stability to the group. He’s Mr. Reliable.
Seth Jones 2018-19 Stats
Games played: 75
Goals: 9
Assists: 37
Points: 46
Time on ice: 25:49
Penalty Minutes: 28
Corsi For (even strength): 51.8%
2018-19 Playoff Stats
Games played: 10
Goals: 3
Assists: 6
Points: 9
Time on ice: 28:32
Penalty Minutes: 0
Corsi For (even strength): 44.3%
Seth Jones’ Contract Status
| 2022/UFA | Base Salary | CAP Hit | No Trade Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019/20 | $5,400,000 | $5,400,000 | |
| 2020/21 | $5,400,000 | $5,400,000 | No Trade Clause |
| 2021/22 | $5,400,000 | $5,400,000 | No Trade Clause |
High Point
2019 All-Star (two goals, two assists)
We know Seth Jones is a gifted offensive-defenseman, as he ranked just inside the top 20 among NHL defenseman in points-per-game (19th, 0.61) in 2018-19. You can look beyond the traditional stats above like goals, assists, and points, and while No. 3 didn’t fair badly in either of those areas, those numbers were down compared to his typical seasonal output.
But that’s with missing the first seven games of the season to injury.
Jones had four game-winners on the season for Columbus, which among defenseman, ranked him into a seven-way tie for fourth among the NHL, and he ranked first among all defenseman with three overtime game-winners (this article from January highlights his 3-on-3 overtime wizardry).
Jones also had a flair for the dramatic. Of his three overtime winners, two came inside the first minute (0:10 against the Flyers Dec. 6, 0:18 against the Panthers), and then he burned the Flyers once again, this time inside the final minute (Feb. 28, 4:27). His last game-winner against the Flyers moved him past Rick Nash on the franchise list for overtime game-winning goals with seven.
For the regular season, Jones finished top five on the Blue Jackets, first among defenseman, in points (46), and second on the team with 37 assists. He led the team in average ice-time (25:49), blocked shots (123), and was tied-for-fourth on the team with a 51.8 CF%.
For the playoffs, Jones came in third among all players on the Jackets — first among defenseman — with nine points, third on the team with three goals, and tied for the team lead with six assists. As is customary, Jones led the team in average ice-time (28:32), and fired 27 shots in the 10 playoff games, which tied for third among the club. He also had three-consecutive multipoint playoff games with two points in each of Games’ 4 against the Lightning, and 1 and 2 against the Bruins. The latter, being that epic Game 2 double overtime winner, in which he chipped in two assists and led the game with 38:01 ice-time.
Throughout the regular season, Jones had two separate five-game point streaks, (Nov. 26 – Dec. 6, three goals, four assists) and (Dec. 27 – Jan. 5, one goal, four assists). Jones’ presence on the ice helped the Blue Jackets to 11th during the regular season in GA/GP (2.82), tied-for-sixth in the league in SA/GP (29.5), and tied-for-first on the PK (85.0%), which Jones chipped in three short-handed points and led Blue Jackets penalty killers in ice-time (171:14).
Courtesy of Hockey Viz are some fun charts that help depict what Jones meant to his team and his teammates throughout the season.
Or the high point might have just been the time Jones and co. led the team in celebration of the regular season (not year — sweeping Tampa Bay takes precedence) against the Capitals. Jones assisted on Artemi Panarin’s goal in that one.
Low Point
This occurred in the pre-season against the Sabres at the Kraft Hockeyville USA game when Jones sustained an MCL sprain (Grade 2 sprain of the medial collateral ligament) that was initially supposed to keep him out 4-6 weeks. He returned earlier than that, only missing the first seven regular season games for Columbus.
Report Card
How would you grade Seth Jones’ 2018-19 season?
| A | 134 |
| B | 14 |
| C | 0 |
| D | 0 |
| F | 0 |