Seth Jones’ Boiling Frustration as Blackhawks’ Nightmare Season Drags On

Once again, the Chicago Blackhawks found themselves in yet another loss on Tuesday night with a 2-1 defeat against the Utah Hockey Club. This was their fourth consecutive loss and added to their horrible run of one win in the last eight games. An atmosphere built on frustration is starting to take root, particularly for Seth Jones, the well-traveled defenseman who now enters his fourth season with the team. Aside from the showings of individual players, the team finds itself wallowing at the bottom of the league, looking over its shoulder for any sign of improvement.
The day had begun brightly for Chicago when Seth Jones scored the first goal. But Utah responded with an equalizer in the second when Clayton Keller found the net. With a few minutes left in the game, Lawson Crouse stepped in to score the winning goal and give Utah the victory. Arvid Soderblom, bearing the brunt of a third loss alongside the rest, worked his fingers to the bone in goal for the unwanted fray, standing between the pipes for 34 respectable saves.

Seth Jones left no stone unturned in his frustration after the match. "We're the same team right now as we were in Game 1,”he said. "It's pretty evident out there. We haven't made any strides to be a better, more simple hockey team, and it shows. We don't get a lot of wins because of that." It's a statement that describes the woes unfolding right there at the heart of this team. "This has been almost four years of bottom of the league," he added, stressing how much the players and the fanbase within Chicago have suffered. His remarks are an indicator of growing dissatisfaction around the Chicago locker room in their search for answers.

As the trade deadline approaches, Jones's name has come up in many circles. Several teams in need of defensive upgrades are likely interested, but his contract situation complicates matters. The veteran defender is under an eight-year contract with a cap hit of $9.5 million, making any conceivable trade problematic. Still, so far, that speculation has not amounted to anything concrete.
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The Blackhawks have some tough decisions ahead of them as they try to move forward. The players' continued struggles and lack of progress only exacerbate the situation for both players and fans. If changes are not made soon—in-house or externally—the frustration will rise to an entirely new level. Chicago has to do what it takes to stop being part of the standings before the season becomes an even bigger disappointment.