It doesn't mean veterans are pleased with the teams, standing, or play, however.
One of the veterans unhappy with the team's overall performance is defenseman Seth Jones, who called out his teammates during an interview.
In his criticism, he called out the team's lack of backchecking, which is particularly egregious considering the team consists largely of young players who are still adjusting to NHL style of play.
Seth Jones was almost speechless at first, but then he heated up.
"I don't have any answers for you guys. It's hard. We just need to find a way to play together as a team, instead of everyone trying to do it themselves, play individual. It ends up in the back of our net when� Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) March 5, 2024
He has plenty of wisdom to impart to the young players, coming from a tight defensive system like Tortorella's.
Here, however, it sounds more like he is criticizing the entire team than mentoring them.
His frustration must be evident with the lack of structure of the team, as multiple players missed their assignments in numerous situations.
In his current role as Alternate Captain for the Chicago Blackhawks, Jones has reunited with former Blue Jacket, Nick Foligno. Davidson intended to place players like Jones and Foligno in leadership roles, something Foligno has experience with.
They will continue to be necessary for Kyle Davidson's young players to grow into NHL players.
POLL | ||
Do you think Seth Jones is wrong to call out the Blackhawks? | ||
Yes | 95 | 45.9 % |
No | 112 | 54.1 % |
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