Blackhawks' Seth Jones expected to miss 3-4 weeks with thumb injury

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones is expected to miss three-to-four weeks with a thumb injury, the team announced Sunday.

Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson said the injury occurred when Jones blocked a shot in the second period of Saturday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres, according to the Chicago Tribune's Phillip Thompson.

Richardson added that blue-liner Filip Roos will enter the lineup, while Jones' brother Caleb will quarterback the team's first power-play unit, per the Chicago Sun-Times' Ben Pope.

Jones, 28, has put up four assists in eight contests with Chicago this campaign while averaging just over 25 minutes of ice time per game, the most on the team.

The Texas native is playing out the first season of an eight-year, $76-million extension he signed in July 2021 shortly after the Columbus Blue Jackets shipped him to the Windy City.

Jones has recorded 55 points in 86 games for Chicago, with the team struggling mightily since his arrival. The Blackhawks finished seventh in the Central Division and failed to qualify for the playoffs in 2021-22 following a flashy offseason in which they acquired the likes of Jones and netminder Marc-Andre Fleury.

Despite his frustrations as Chicago enters a rebuild, Jones said in September that he didn't have "regrets" about signing long term with the Blackhawks.

Chicago currently sits in third place in the division with a 4-3-1 record. The team also leads the league with four shorthanded goals.

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