Ex-Oilers defenceman Caleb Jones finds new home in free agency: report

Former Edmonton Oiler Caleb Jones has a new home, as he signed a one-year, $800,000 deal with the Carolina Hurricanes this afternoon, as per Sportsnet’s Luke Fox.

Hearing UFA defenceman Caleb Jones is signing a one-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. A little over league minimum.

— luke fox (@lukefoxjukebox) August 10, 2023

Jones has spent the past two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. In a career-high 73 games this past season, the 26-year-old managed four goals and 16 points while averaging just over 19 minutes in ice time.

Prior to his time with the Blackhawks, Jones spent parts of three seasons with the Oilers, who selected him in the fourth round of the 2015 draft. He failed to make much of an impact in the limited opportunity he got during his time with the Oilers, registering five goals and 19 points in 93 games.

Jones was traded by the Oilers ahead of the 2020-21 season to the Blackhawks in a deal that saw Duncan Keith head the other way. Despite getting a future Hall-of-Fame defenceman back in the deal, many Edmonton fans believed the organization parted ways with Jones too quickly, as some still believed he had plenty of untapped potential.

While he showed spurts with the Blackhawks, Jones failed to blossom into the defenceman many had envisioned, in large part due to the fact he was playing on a poorly constructed roster. If there is any team that can help him truly solidify himself as an everyday NHL defenceman, it is the Hurricanes, which have done great work at turning around several players’ careers in recent years.

From the Hurricanes’ perspective, the Jones signing gives them more depth on the blue line at a cheap cost. It will also create some healthy competition in camp, as they have nine NHL defencemen under contract in Dmitry Orlov, Jaccob Slavin, Brent Burns, Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, Tony DeAngelo, Dylan Coghlan, and Jalen Chatfield. It won’t be easy for Jones, but with a strong camp, he has a shot at securing a spot in their top six come opening night.

You might also like:
• "I'm confident": Oilers CEO believes McDavid will sign extension in Edmonton