NHL analyst Ryan S. Clark of ESPN was impressed with the Chicago Blackhawks blockbuster deal.
Chicago traded star Seth Jones and a 2026 fourth-round pick, while also retaining 25% of his contract to the Florida Panthers for goalie Spencer Knight and a 2026 first-round pick. It was a blockbuster deal and ESPN gave the Blackhawks an A+ grade.
“Finding a legitimate franchise goalie is difficult, yet the Blackhawks may have just found one in Knight… But instead of just another option, they added one of the few goaltenders who has gone in the first round in recent memory. Further strengthening a youth movement that’s considered one of the NHL’s most promising,” Clark wrote.
Knight can be the Blackhawks’ goalie of the present and the future, as he is just 23. With the Panthers this season, Knight has gone 12-8-1 with a 2.40 GAA and a .907 SV%.
“It wasn’t that long ago when Knight, who was a first-round pick partly due to his prototypical size, was in that conversation,” Clark added. “Going to the Blackhawks and possibly establishing himself as the outright No. 1 goalie could see him get back into the mix.”
With Chicago in a rebuild, finding a young goalie to build around is key. Which is why Clark gave the Blackhawks and A+ trade grade.
Analyst Expects Blackhawks to Trade Another Goalie
After the Blackhawks acquired Knight, Clark expects Chicago to look to trade a goalie.
The Blackhawks now have Knight, Petr Mrazek, Laurent Brossoit, Arvid Soderblom, and goalie prospect Drew Commesso on the roster. With that, Clark thinks it would be wise for the Blackhawks to trade a goalie.
“Knight is now the fourth goalie on the Blackhawks’ NHL roster who is either under contract for next season or the team has control via restricted free agency… With Knight on the roster, the Blackhawks could trade one of those other goaltenders, with the hopes of adding even more draft capital to what’s already a rather strong reserve of draft picks,” Clark wrote.
“This would also open the door for Knight to get more playing time. He’s 12-8-1 with a 2.40 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage in 23 games for Florida. The most he has played in an NHL season is 32 games. While the most he’s had in his professional career are the 45 he played last season in the AHL,” Clark added.
The Blackhawks are 18-35-7 and in second-last in the NHL.
Panthers Eager to Add Jones
Although Clark liked what Chicago got in return, the Panthers are excited to add a defenseman like Jones.
Jones is in the third year of his eight-year $76 million deal. He’s a star defenseman and Panthers general manager Barry Zito believes he will be a good fit with the team.
“Seth is an elite veteran defenseman and a proven leader in our league,” Zito said. “He has been one of the most consistent players of the past decade serving as a reliable workhorse on both sides of the puck. He will help our club continue to compete at the highest level.”
Jones is expected to be on Florida’s second-pairing with Niko Mikkola.
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