Maurice: Jones 'perfectly built' for Panthers
Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice praised new acquisition Seth Jones' fit with the team upon the defenseman's arrival Monday.
Maurice said Jones is "perfectly built" for the Panthers' system, while acknowledging the blue-liner will need some time to adjust, according to team reporter Jameson Olive.
The bench boss added that Florida won't need to rely on Jones the way the Chicago Blackhawks did before trading him.
"We don't need him to play 25 minutes a night," Maurice said.
Jones lauded the Panthers' attention to detail and ability to remain competitive.
"There's really not a stone left unturned here when it comes to hockey," he said. "I'm super happy that I could come here and be a part of that culture."
He was also ready with a quip about the change in locales.
"I left my parka in Chicago," Jones joked.
The Panthers acquired the 30-year-old from the Blackhawks on Saturday along with a fourth-round pick for goaltender Spencer Knight and a conditional first-rounder. Chicago retained $2.5 million of Jones' $9.5-million cap hit.
Jones waived his no-movement clause to approve the trade to the defending Stanley Cup champions.
The veteran collected seven goals and 20 assists while averaging 24:30 of ice time over 42 games with the Blackhawks this season. He's averaged 23:44 in 11-plus campaigns and has gone over 25 minutes per night in five of them.
Jones slotted in on the right side of the Panthers' second defense pairing next to Niko Mikkola at Monday's morning skate.
Florida captain Aleksander Barkov expressed his wholehearted approval of the trade.
"He's not going to be a rental, that's for sure. He's here for a long time," the center said. "That's awesome. He's one of the best defensemen in the world. Playing against him is always tough. He's good at both ends of the puck. To add a guy like that is unbelievable."
The second-place Panthers host their cross-state rivals, the Tampa Bay Lightning, on Monday night at 7 p.m. ET. The third-place Bolts have won eight straight games, while the Cats have won three in a row.