Massive Seth Jones injury update sparks hope for struggling Panthers

With regular NHL action officially resuming in just a couple of days following the intense Olympic break, the defending champions find themselves dealing with absolute pure chaos.

Currently sitting entirely outside of a guaranteed playoff spot, missing an elite talent on the blue line has been an incredibly tough pill to swallow for the struggling locker room.

But the demanding coaching staff finally received a highly encouraging timeline regarding star defenseman Seth Jones.

Following Sunday's mandatory practice session, Maurice officially revealed that he is extremely hopeful Jones will finally rejoin the team skate sometime next week while wearing a non-contact jersey.

The 31-year-old blueliner has been completely sidelined since suffering a devastating collarbone injury during the Winter Classic against the New York Rangers on January 2nd.

Without his pure physical size and highly reliable transition game, the Panthers legitimately run the terrifying risk of missing the springtime postseason entirely.

Florida desperately needs Jones to successfully return to the active roster, utilize crisp passing, and deliver solid execution in the dirty areas.

If he can safely navigate this vital non-contact practice phase without any terrifying setbacks, his eventual return will provide an absolute massive boost to their desperate playoff push.

Along with Jones, the Florida Panthers are also missing other big players, but no one as big as captain Alexander Barkov.