Jets All Out Top 25: #21 Randy Jones

Randy Jones, 30, D, 6’2, 205 lbs
Last Year's Rating: N/A This Year's Rating: #21 Difference: N/A

Hailing from Quispamsis, New Brunswick, Randy Jones has been around the NHL, despite only playing in 326 regular season games and 31 playoff games.

An undrafted defenseman, Jones broke into the NHL in 2003-04 with the Philadelphia Flyers, who signed Jones and took a risk on the young defenseman out of Clarkson University.

Jones spent much of the 03-04 season with the Philadelphia Phantoms, collecting 32 points in 55 games.

He would have a few seasons bouncing between the Flyers and Phantoms until 2006-07 when he played in 66 games for the Flyers, collecting 22 points, 38 penalty minutes, and a minus 14 rating.

The next season, Jones’ numbers improved as he collected 31 points, 58 penalty minutes, and a much better plus eight rating.

However, those would be his only two good seasons with the Flyers, as he battled injuries and inconsistent play, with only eight points in 47 games with the big team before being send down to the Phantoms.

Early in the 2009-10 season, Jones was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings where he played 48 games, notching 21 points, 28 penalty minutes, and a minus three rating.

Though LA did not resign Jones, the Tampa Bay Lightning were very interested in adding depth and he fit that description, signing a one-year deal. He played in 61 games, collecting 13 points, 15 penalty minutes, along with a minus four rating. However, his time was limited in the playoffs, only appearing in five games, with one assist and two penalty minutes.

Now Jones finds himself in Winnipeg signed to a one-year deal with his fourth club in eight years. However, Jones’ situation is very unique. He has tremendous offensive potential as a defenseman, yet he has never played an entire 82 game season, though he did play in two full seasons, barring injury and scratches, with the Flyers from 2006-07 to 2007-08.

If Jones can find a niche in the Jets defense, he could be a good mentor for younger defensemen such as Zach Bogosian, Paul Postma, and others along with veterans Ron Hainsey and Johnny Oduya. His journeyman work ethic obviously caught the eye of the Jets brass and Jones hopes to make this stop his final one.