Impact of the Seth Jones Trade on Blackhawks’ Goaltending

The Chicago Blackhawks completed a major trade by moving Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers not long after Jones spoke out about the state of the team and his frustrations. Chicago also sent a 2026 fourth-round pick to Florida and retained 26% ($2.5 million AAV) of Jones’ contract. In return, the Blackhawks acquired 23-year-old goalie Spencer Knight and a 2026 conditional first-round pick.

This move has sizeable impacts on multiple areas of the Blackhawks, but here we are going to break down the goaltending impact.

Knight comes into Chicago on the second last year of his $4.5 million AAV deal, which is a good time span to see how he does with his new team. At the end of his contract, he is also a RFA, so the Blackhawks don’t have to worry about rushing to sign him or losing him after next season.

This does create a logjam again in net for the Blackhawks. Petr Mrazek and Arvid Soderblom have manned the crease all of this season with Drew Commesso stepping in for a small portion due to an injury. Both Mrazek and Soderblom will have to pass through waivers if either are sent down, but given we are less than a week out from the trade deadline, it appears as though the Blackhawks might have something else cooking in net.

The most logical solution would be to trade Mrazek, but it will be more difficult. There are some playoff-bound teams out there looking for goaltending help, except now the Blackhawks can’t retain any of Mrazek’s $4.25 million AAV cap hit as the team is using all three retention spots after keeping 26% of Jones’. This will make things difficult, but just like how Knight was sent back to Chicago from Florida to clear space, the same could happen in Mrazek’s case.

He has the experience and for having to play behind the Blackhawks this season, he has done well and been serviceable for sure. The other option is to move a 25-year-old goalie who turned it around and has a much better chance of continuing to get better. He is approaching that age.

Soderblom is a RFA after the season, but has a $962,500K cap hit. He’s very affordable, but it’s tough to think the Blackhawks are willing to set themselves back a little by moving someone who fought to be in the position he’s in this season and proved he belongs there.

The trickle-down effect will impact Commesso and even Adam Gajan likely too. Gajan is still in college, so there’s a number of years left before he’s playing in the NHL full-time, but Commesso is closer, although not ready yet either as proven this season.

It’s only logical to hold two goalies on the NHL roster at once. Knight is staying, so between developing goalies and Soderblom, only one is sticking in the NHL with the Blackhawks rather than two before Knight was brought in.

Don’t get me wrong, this was a great move to get back a 23-year-old goalie having a good season. For a former first-round pick that had a great season early, Knight got paid a little ahead of time, but that doesn’t hurt the Blackhawks, it actually helped them acquire him.

The forgotten piece, Laurent Brossoit, is all but gone as well, if he can get healthy and get back to action before the end of his contract next season. The Blackhawks needed a solid piece in net for the future and they got it. The rest will work itself out soon enough.

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