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Nashville Predators: Don’t Doubt Seth Jones In Rookie Year


Seth Jones

Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports

For whatever reason, there has been a great deal of talk about Nashville Predators draft pick Seth Jones and the amount of doubters or “haters”, as they’re more affectionately referred to, heading into his first season in the league. How is this possible?

The question of how it’s possible refers specifically to the amount of doubters that Seth Jones actually has heading into his first season. When you slip as far as Jones did in the draft, there are probably going to be questions, especially when you’re considered a can’t-miss prospect.

Jones fell from the projected no. 1 overall pick, was passed up by three teams that could have used a franchise defenseman on their blue line, and eventually ended up with the Predators, who don’t actually need any more help on their blue line. They simply realized the fact that Jones was a guy you don’t pass up.

Heading into the draft in July, Jones was looked at as a generational talent. He’s the type of player who can come in and immediately make an impact on a club’s blue line. He’s a two-way defenseman, with great size, he plays physical, and he has offensive tools that will make him an all-around threat.

Yet, he was passed up by those three teams, all of which need that no. 1 defenseman for their future. This seems to be where the “doubters” come into the picture. If three teams that need defensive depth as badly as they do passed on him, there obviously has to be some flaw in Jones’ game, right?

Not necessarily. They simply saw better fits. As little sense as it makes, they each went with forwards. But that shouldn’t tell you anything about what he brings to the table. Don’t let his slipping up fool you. He’s going to be a star in this league. If there are doubters that exist, simply because of his stock falling all the way from no. 1 to no. 4, they won’t exist for long.



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