The Chicago Blackhawks took a major step in their top-to-bottom rebuild this summer when they drafted Connor Bedard with the 1st overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. They also made plays to acquire the likes of Corey Perry, Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno, among others. However, there was one decision they made that defenseman Seth Jones didn't anticipate - the Hawks decided to part ways with his own brother, Caleb.
Caleb Jones was set to become a restricted free agent this summer, but the Blackhawks decided not to issue him a qualifying offer, making him a UFA. Naturally, his brother Seth thought that a deal would still get done at some point. A deal did get done, but not with the Hawks. Caleb Jones was left to sign a one-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes instead.
In a recent interview with Chicago Sun-Times, Seth Jones said that he wasn't informed by Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson prior to them not issuing his brother a qualifying offer. He went on to say that Davidson eventually called him after the decision was made.
Jones is under contract for the next seven seasons at a cap hit of $9.5 million in Chicago. It's a contract that is essentially unmoveable at this point, which could be problematic if Jones is upset with the decision that Hawks GM Kyle Davidson made to cut his brother. Now, obviously, Davidson doesn't have to consult anyone on the team before making a roster decision, but you'd have figured he'd have at least given Jones a heads up. Not exactly the best way to build trust with your players.
