There’s no replacing Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones’ production. The injury to his right foot couldn’t have come at a worse time for a reeling team that has shown no ability to produce consistent offense.
For all the criticism Jones gets because of his bloated contract, he’s still one of the Hawks’ better players. They have been outscored 96-47 in games he hasn’t played during his tenure with the team.
Jones will miss at least two weeks after the Hawks put him on injured reserve Saturday, but coach Luke Richardson said they would get more information after he has some more tests.
Before his injury, Jones was third on the Hawks with 10 points (two goals, eight assists) and was a member of the first-team power play. His presence on the power play stood out amid the rest of the unit’s struggles, with the Hawks producing the fourth-most shots when he was on the ice.
‘‘[Jones] has done a great job so far this year running the power play,’’ fellow defenseman Alex Vlasic said. ‘‘I’ve been able to watch him for a couple of years now and see what he does up there and try to copy what he can do as much as possible.’’
Compensating for Jones’ absence will require a group effort from the Hawks’ other defensemen and a shift in mentality.
‘‘It starts with a mindset,’’ said defenseman Alec Martinez, who returned last week after missing 12 games with a groin injury. ‘‘With our unit in particular, volume is important. We should be a shooting power play. Sometimes we have a tendency to try to get a little too cute, try to make the perfect play all the time. In reality, one of the hardest things — if not the hardest thing — is to defend repetitive shots.’’
Entering their game Tuesday against the Ducks, the Hawks were 23th in the league in shots on the power play. While moving the puck around and angling for the right shot is commendable, they have to be more aggressive in terms of getting shots on net.
Martinez said it’s important for players on the power play to make the simple play, not necessarily the pretty one.
‘‘You never know where that rebound is going to kick out,’’ Martinez said. ‘‘[We have to] create chaos in front, getting second-chance opportunities, so then it’s just execution. You’ve got to go out there and do it. I can talk about it all I want, but you’ve gotta go out there.’’
Vlasic likely will take over Jones’ role on the power play. Having spent all of last season and the first part of this one with Jones, Vlasic said he has observed what makes Jones a reliable power-play contributor. He said he has grown more comfortable on the power play through reps and by facing the opposing team’s best penalty-killers.
It’s a delicate balancing act for Vlasic because he wants to be aggressive but not reckless. He entered this season wanting to raise his offensive production, and he has seven points (all assists) so far. But with Jones out for an extended period, the Hawks will need even more from him.
‘‘For me, it’s going to be generating on the power play by getting pucks to the net,’’ Vlasic said. ‘‘Then, if I’m not shooting, I’m passing to my flanks [forwards Teuvo Teravainen and Connor Bedard] and letting them do the skilled plays.
‘‘I’ve done a good job of getting comfortable with having that responsibility now. That might have been a little bit more scary for me when I first got put on the [power-play unit] last year. [But] I feel pretty comfortable up there, and it feels like second nature.’’