Seth Jones out for weeks with upper-body injury: Coach Paul Maurice provides key details on Panthers defenseman

Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones will be sidelined for “a couple of weeks” with an upper-body injury, the team confirmed. Coach Paul Maurice said the Panthers expect Seth Jones to return before the NHL breaks for the Winter Olympics, with the defenseman posting 24 points in 40 games this season.The injury occurred during the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic at loanDepot Park in Miami, when a shot from New York Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere deflected off Panthers defenseman Niko Mikkola and struck Jones near his left collarbone. The incident came early in the first period of Jones’ 900th NHL game. Despite the setback, Jones remains on Team USA’s Olympic roster, marking the first NHL participation in the Winter Games since 2014.Jones, 31, has experienced a career resurgence since being traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Panthers last March. “The trade to Florida has given me new life,” he said before the Winter Classic. In his first full season with the Panthers, Jones has contributed significantly both in the regular season and during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where he totaled nine points and a plus-11 rating over 23 games to help Florida secure back-to-back championships.Coach Maurice addressed Jones’ status following the Winter Classic collision, saying, “We will list him as week to week. We expect him to be back before the Olympic break. We’re hopeful for that.” The statement reinforces that the Panthers anticipate a relatively short absence, giving them hope of having their star defenseman back before the NHL pause for the Olympics.Selected fourth overall in the 2013 NHL Draft by the Nashville Predators, Jones has amassed 465 points across stints with Nashville, Columbus, Chicago, and now Florida. His absence comes at a critical time for the Panthers, who are already missing captain Aleksander Barkov for the season due to a knee injury, while Matthew Tkachuk continues to recover from surgery on a torn adductor muscle and sports hernia. Tkachuk could return during Florida’s upcoming six-game road trip, beginning against the Toronto Maple Leafs.With 16 games remaining before the Olympic break, the Panthers (22-16-3) sit two points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second Eastern Conference wild card spot. Jones’ temporary absence highlights the team’s need for depth on defense as they push toward the playoffs, while also keeping their star player ready for the international stage. Also Read: Florida Panthers face growing injury crisis as Seth Jones joins long list of key absences