SEATTLE — Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones was annoyed about missing five weeks with a shoulder injury that initially was supposed to cost him only two.
But he was especially upset that he was stuck on zero goals for the season during his absence.
‘‘Honestly, I was sitting there and I was like, ‘Holy [bleep],’ ’’Jones said. ‘‘It just feels like [it] just drags on because you can’t play and get that first one.’’
Jones, 29, finally returned to the Hawks’ lineup Jan. 13. Then Friday, in his fourth game back, he finally broke his goose egg in the goal column by beating Islanders goalie Ilya Sorokin for the game-winner in overtime.
Jones thought he was closer to the net than 48 feet out when he sent a puck toward the crease. But his read that forward Boris Katchouk’s drive to the net was causing Islanders defenseman Noah Dobson to screen his own goalie was spot-on.
His first thought when the puck hit the net: ‘‘About damn time.’’
‘‘I’m more frustrated than anyone else,’’ Jones said. ‘‘I expect more goals than that, and it’s just a relief to see it go in.’’
Before that, Jones’ 71 shots on goal were the most in the NHL this season by any player without a goal. Now, his 73 shots on goal are fourth-most by a player with one goal or fewer.
Despite switching stick flexes last summer to a whippier 90-flex, Jones hasn’t blamed that change for his bad shooting luck — although he joked maybe he should now that the idea has been planted. He likes how the 90-flex stick allows him to release the puck more quickly even when his weight is on his back foot.
Jones is hoping for a second-half scoring surge mirroring the one he had in 2022-23. He had scored only two goals through Jan. 16 last season but finished with 12, the second-most of his career. He’s averaging more shot attempts and scoring chances per minute this season than last season, so a similar trajectory seems achievable.
In the meantime, he has been reunited with Alex Vlasic on the top defensive pair, and that duo might be the strongest aspect of the lineup without injured rookie Connor Bedard. The Hawks’ 14-31-2 record doesn’t reflect it, but they’ve allowed the 12th-fewest goals per game in the league in January.
Vlasic’s remarkable star turn and Jones’ longevity make them a legit top pairing, comparable to the one of Jones and Jake McCabe that clicked last season.
‘‘[Their] size and range of their sticks defensively [are] huge,’’ coach Luke Richardson said. ‘‘It’s difficult to play against. The more reps you get together — they talk about line rushes, ‘D’-zone coverage and even on the penalty kill and power play together — there’s all kinds of scenarios where they’re going to talk to each other more and get even better.’’
Indeed, Jones has noticed some similarities between McCabe and Vlasic — despite their eight-year age difference — in terms of their stick use and hockey IQ.
Fifteen minutes before Jones’ winning goal Friday, he and Vlasic made smart, simple plays in board battles down low in the Hawks’ defensive zone. They ultimately stripped Anders Lee of the puck and jump-started a breakout that led to a goal by Jason Dickinson.
Richardson mentioned that shift and several regroups they orchestrated cleanly during the third period of a loss Monday to the Canucks that enabled the Hawks to get back into the offensive zone as more subtle examples of their strong play.
‘‘It doesn’t have to be an end-to-end rush,’’ Richardson said. ‘‘It can be just them doing their job defensively, and that leads to offense. That’s a tandem that can really go places and do a lot of things.’’
Vlasic looking ‘unbelievable’
Jones still vividly recalls being partnered with Vlasic for the latter’s NHL debut in March 2022 in Minnesota. He thought Vlasic held his own in the “lion’s den,” but the Hawks didn’t record a single shot attempt during their 6:01 of ice time together and lost the game 3-1.
Just under two years later, Vlasic’s enormous development — from possible bottom-pair depth guy to top-pairing star — has surprised even him.
“You can see the steps that he’s taken,” Jones said. “He’s not shy with the puck. He tries different things. He looks guys off – he’s got that ability too. He’s only going to get better. It’s unbelievable.”
Jones kept using that last word to describe his 22-year-old defensive partner, who won’t receive a salary quite equal to Jones’ $9.5 million on his next contract but who will get a large and well-deserved payday nonetheless.
“He breaks up so many plays coming into the ‘D’-zone because he’s so hard to get around, and then he’s adding physicality to his game, as well, which is awesome to see,” Jones added, shaking his head slightly in amazement.
“He’s on the [point] of the power play, so he’s expanding his game that way, too. He’s going to be an unbelievable defenseman for this team for a long time.”
