The Florida Panthers swung a big deal for Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones. They sent a first-round pick and goalie Spencer Knight to the Windy City for Jones, with 26% of his salary retained. Panthers general manager Bill Zito has heard the doubters who say Jones was not worth trading for. He responded to those fans while talking with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

“You’re characterizing it as bold or whatever — you know, a defenseman of his talent, and you have a chance to get him, don’t you?” Zito asked.

Zito drafted Jones when he was with the Columbus Blue Jackets and took this opportunity to reunite with him. After leaving Columbus, Jones struggled as the top defenseman for the Blackhawks. His $9.5 million cap hit became an albatross and the continued team struggles forced a trade request.

Their previous history is not the only reason Zito brought Jones to the Panthers. He told LeBrun the defender fits with their team. “The biggest thing on our team is how all the pieces connect and how they perform as a unit. And I think that’s another part of Seth, I think he fits right in.’’

Can the Panthers continue making moves after the Jones trade? And how does it impact their summer plans?

The Panthers can continue adding after the Seth Jones trade

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The 4 Nations Face-Off tournament was a rousing success for the NHL, with record ratings in the US. But the Panthers were the big losers, as Matthew Tkachuk is injured and could be out for the rest of the regular season. He has been placed on Long-Term Injured Reserve, giving them more space to make moves before the deadline. As long as he can return for the playoffs, they will be Cup contenders.

With Jones on the blue line, they will likely look to add elsewhere before Friday's deadline. The top centers available are Brock Nelson and Scott Laughton while wingers Rickard Rakell and Brandon Tanev are on the block. Any of those players would fit under their current salary cap situation, but they do not have many picks left.

Part of the trade package to land Seth Jones was former first-round pick Spencer Knight. With Sergei Bobrovsky manning the net for most of the games, Knight did not have much room to grow. The Panthers may add a backup goalie like Alexandar Georgiev or Anton Forsberg. With a Cup to defend and a great chance at winning another, don't expect a quiet deadline from Bill Zito and the Panthers.