Seth Jones has no idea whether he’ll ever play in the Western Hockey League.
But he made one thing clear: Being drafted by the Everett Silvertips didn’t hurt those chances.
Everett took a gamble when it drafted Jones in the first round of the WHL bantam draft in April, knowing there was the possibility he might choose a different developmental route. But if any team has a chance at swaying the talented defenseman the major-junior direction, it’s the Tips.
“I was excited (getting drafted by Everett),” Jones said from his home in Dallas earlier this week. “This is the team I really wanted to be drafted by. So, I’m open-minded to what they have to say.”
Jones was perhaps the biggest subject of intrigue at this year’s draft.
First there’s his lineage. As the son of former NBA power forward Popeye Jones, he brings an unusual backstory to the world of hockey. Jones was 6 years old when his father played for the Denver Nuggets. Young Jones began playing hockey because that’s the sport his new friends played. He’s stayed with it ever since — surprisingly, he’s never been on a basketball team.
Then there’s his potential. Now 14 years old, he already stands 6-feet 3-inches and is expected to continue growing. He’s also a smooth skater whose natural instincts for the game are reportedly off the charts. That full package made him one of the top five talents available in the draft.
But it all came with speculation.
The Jones family made it clear they are still weighing their options regarding Seth’s future. He may decide going to an NCAA university is preferable to playing in the WHL. If he were to choose that route, he couldn’t play for Everett. Competing in the WHL burns a player’s NCAA eligibility.
Jones is also almost certain to receive an invitation to play for the U.S. National Team Development Program’s U-17 squad in 2010-11. The uncertainty about Jones’ future made teams reluctant to risk a first-round pick on him.
But Everett, with two first-round picks, decided to take the plunge — and it wasn’t done blindly. Jones’ mother, Amy, said the Tips spent more time courting Jones than any other WHL team.
“I met Scott (Scoville, Everett’s director of player development) in January, then he and Doug (Soetaert, Everett’s general manager) flew down to Salt Lake City in March for a tournament,” Amy Jones recalled.
“They were very easy to talk to,” she added. “Throughout the whole process, they allowed us to be extremely honest and talk about our concerns, and you knew there were no hard feelings. They couldn’t have been more professional and they did a great job communicating, so we were excited when they decided to draft Seth.”
While Everett may have been destination choice No. 1, there’s still no guarantee Seth Jones will ever suit up for the Tips.
“It’s still wide open,” Amy Jones said. “We’re looking at it year by year.”
But Jones and his parents are giving Everett every chance. They are scheduled to visit later this month to experience the city and tour the facilities.
One big factor in Everett’s favor is Seth Jones’ goals. His wants to play in the NHL as quickly as possible. Major junior hockey, with its rigorous NHL-type schedule and rugged style of play, is the best mirror of the NHL game available to teenagers.
Seth Jones will play midget hockey in Denver in the upcoming season, suiting up for the Colorado Thunderbirds, the same program that produced current Silvertips forward Ryan White and fellow Everett draft pick Josh Racek.
And while discussing his upcoming season, Seth Jones uttered words that might give Everett fans hope:
“I’m going to play midget minor AAA this year, see how big I get and keep working on all the things I need to work on,” he said. “If I think I’m ready to come play after the season, then I’ll come play.”
One would suspect the Tips will be giving Seth Jones all the encouragement necessary.
Nick Patterson’s Silvertips blog: http://www.heraldnet.com/silvertipsblog
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