This time, Zito pulled off another major deal, trading 2019 first-round pick and backup goalie Spencer Knight, along with a future first-round selection in 2026 or 2027, to acquire Jones from the Blackhawks. Once again, the Panthers managed to add a high-caliber player without disrupting their core lineup.

Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito issued an honest statement, announcing when the team expects Matthew Tkachuk to return from his injury.

The Florida Panthers' quest to repeat as Stanley Cup champions has taken a major hit. After injuring his groin in the 4 Nations Face-Off, the Panthers announced star forward Matthew Tkachuk has been placed on LTIR and will likely be out until the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Veteran defenseman Seth Jones impressed his Florida Panthers teammates in his debut Monday night, a 2-1 victory over their in-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning in which he played just under 23 minutes and nearly scored a goal for the Stanley Cup champions.

Aleksander Barkov scored twice in the second period, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 28 shots, and the Florida Panthers beat their in-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 on Monday night.

Seth Jones made his debut for the Panthers after he was acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday for goalie Spencer Knight and a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The defenseman had three shots on goal in 22:56 of ice time.