From the team’s official release –
The LA Kings have signed defenseman Caleb Jones to a one-year, two-way contract with an AAV of $775,000 at the NHL level.
Last season, Jones played 25 regular-season games with the Colorado Avalanche and participated in three games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He split his time between the NHL and AHL, logging 12 games with the Colorado Eagles, although he has primarily been an NHL regular over the past five seasons. Jones has played a total of 242 NHL games with Edmonton, Chicago, and Colorado, accumulating 55 points (14 goals, 41 assists) from the blueline. This signing adds to the Kings’ depth of experienced NHL defensemen.
Instant Analysis
Jones served as a capable seventh defenseman for Colorado last season, playing in Games 1 and 2 of the first-round series against Winnipeg while Samuel Girard was out, and replacing Devon Toews in Game 4 of the second round versus Dallas. This was his second appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, following two games in the NHL Bubble with the Oilers in 2020. Jones averaged over 18 minutes per game with the Blackhawks but took on a smaller role with contenders in Edmonton and Colorado. Initially signed with Carolina as a free agent last summer, he was traded to Colorado early in the season. Jones played with both the NHL and AHL clubs and was reliable, achieving a 57-percent goal share with the NHL team. A few days into free agency, adding a player like Jones is a smart move; having enough defensemen is crucial.
Jones is a good skater with decent size. While he has shown offensive productivity at the AHL level, this has not translated as effectively to the NHL, which is typical for players on the roster bubble. Jones is known to be a hard worker and a physical player. His defensive metrics were not strong on a weaker Chicago team, but he led all Colorado defensemen in goals against per 60 minutes this season. His defensive numbers improved with the Avalanche compared to his time with Chicago, thanks to playing on a stronger team with a deeper blueline.
Jones is not seen as a competitor for Mikey Anderson but more for Andreas Englund, Kyle Burroughs, and Jacob Moverare. The Kings now have ten defensemen under contract who played NHL games last season. The top-six defensemen seem set with Drew Doughty, Mikey Anderson, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Jordan Spence as holdovers. Brandt Clarke is expected to make a full-time jump to the NHL, and Joel Edmundson was signed as a free agent and will be in the regular rotation. Jones will compete for an NHL job alongside Englund, Burroughs, and Moverare. The Kings may keep eight defensemen on the NHL roster and need veterans who can play significant minutes at the AHL level with the Ontario Reign as Clarke moves up. The Kings now have many options for these roles, both at the bottom of the NHL roster and the top of an AHL lineup.