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.

The NHL trade deadline is less than a week away, and the market is starting to heat up. The Florida Panthers made a move to bolster their blue line by acquiring defenseman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks,

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

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.

Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk will miss the remainder of the regular season with a groin injury, the team confirmed Monday. The Panthers placed Tkachuk, 27, on long-term injured reserve Sunday.