Winter Classic: Panthers defenseman heads to locker room after taking a shot high, big loss for Florida,

This outdoor night was supposed to be pure spectacle, Florida's first ever, and the whole league knew it. Jones was in the spotlight too, skating in his 900th NHL game after earning a Team USA Olympic nod.

Then the mood flipped fast when the Panthers' workhorse defenseman disappeared toward the room. He took a shot high and had to quickly leave the ice. In a building built for baseball, that walk like forever.

Jones has been a massive part of why Florida still looks like a contender, even with key bodies missing. Through 39 games, he has 24 points, 6 goals and 18 assists, while averaging big minutes in every situation.

As a fan, that's the exact moment your stomach drops, because you know how thin the margin gets in one weird game outside.

The only immediate update was short and blunt from team reporter Jameson Olive: «Jones heading to the locker room.» With Matthew Tkachuk already out, Florida simply cannot afford another key piece going missing.

What makes the nerves worse is how central Jones is to the Panthers' identity right now. He's 31, he carries a $9.5 million cap hit, and he plays like a guy the staff trusts with any matchup.

Tactically, his value is simple and brutal, he exits the zone clean, closes gaps early, and keeps the power play from getting stuck on the walls. If he can't take shifts, everyone else's workload spikes immediately.

Miami can handle snow machines, fire, and palm trees around a rink, but it can't fake calm when a top defender leaves mid-game. Now it's about the next update, and whether Jones comes out looking like himself again.