Panthers’ Seth Jones week-to-week with upper-body injury

The Florida Panthers will be without one of their top blueliners for at least one week, with head coach Paul Maurice revealing that Seth Jones will be out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. 

Maurice is hopeful that he can get back into game action before the NHL’s Olympic break, which begins on Feb. 5. The Panthers have 16 games remaining until then, before two weeks off for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Games, where Jones will represent Team USA if healthy.

Previously, he has won gold medals with Team USA at the IIHF U18 and U20 World Championships, as well as a bronze medal at the men’s World Championship. 

Florida resumes the 2025-26 NHL season on Feb. 26 against the Toronto Maple Leafs, with Jones hoping to sport an Olympic gold medal by then. 

The Panthers blueliner left Friday’s Winter Classic matchup against the New York Rangers in the first period after blocking a shot from Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere. He initially went to the rinkside injury tent at LoanDepot Park before making his way back to the Panthers’ locker room. 

He finished the night with just over three minutes of ice time before being ruled out and did not feature in the Panthers’ 2-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night. 

Now in his 13th NHL season, the 31-year-old Jones has six goals and 24 points in 40 games, including his brief appearance in the Winter Classic. In his career, the former fourth-overall pick in the 2013 NHL Draft has 105 goals and 465 points in 900 games, split among the Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks and Panthers. 

Sitting fourth in the NHL’s Atlantic Division, the Panthers are back in action on Wednesday as they visit the Maple Leafs to kick off a six-game road trip, before returning home to face the San Jose Sharks on Jan 19.