Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Caleb Jones has sustained a left wrist injury and could miss up to six weeks. Jones’ health status was reported directly via the Blackhawks Twitter account on Friday.
MEDICAL UPDATES: Defenseman Caleb Jones is expected to miss approximately six weeks (left wrist strain).
Forwards Jonathan Toews and Jujhar Khaira and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will not practice today (maintenance).
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 8, 2021
Caleb Jones Wrist Injury Keeps Him Out Six Weeks
With the season less than a week away, Caleb Jones will now have to wait a bit longer for his opportunity to debut. He arrived in Chicago, this offseason, on the back of a high-profile trade that sent long-time Hawks legend Duncan Keith to Edmonton.
Now, Jones’ wrist injury leaves the Blackhawks with some changes to make on their third-pair; he had performed well in camp and looked likely to take a spot in the starting roster for opening night.
The 24-year-old defenceman was drafted in the fourth round by the Edmonton Oilers in 2015. So far, he has played 93 career NHL games, scoring 5 goals and 19 points. His off-season move to Chicago brought an end to his three-year NHL stint with the Oilers. His tenure there never quite worked out for either party and he saw his ice-time decrease each year as a result.
What This Means Moving Forward
Unfortunately, Caleb Jones’ fresh start will have to wait a few weeks before it can begin in earnest. Although, many Blackhawks fans will already feel he’s been a worthwhile investment. After all, the acquisition of Seth Jones‘ brother just a few weeks before the former Blue-Jacket agreed to his blockbuster sign-and-trade seems all-too-coincidental.
As for Caleb Jones’ status in the Blackhawks’ pecking order, he probably would have been shoehorned into the third pair based on his camp performance. Instead, his injury adds to Chicago’s woes on the backend; the Hawks recently lost Wyatt Kalynuk to an ankle issue. However, both absences give opportunities to other prospects like rookie Jakub Galvas or sophomore Ian Mitchell to step up in the interim.
