No rookie has played more than Seth Jones this year but tonight, the Preds’ defenseman will miss his first game of the season due to concussion-like symptoms.
Jones, 19, suffered the injury during Sunday’s win over Chicago following a heavy hit into the boards. He left after playing just 5:48 and didn’t return.
Michael Del Zotto, who’s been a healthy scratch in recent games, will draw into the lineup to replace Jones, who is the only rookie skater this season to have topped the 1,400-minutes played plateau. Jones has 24 points through 72 games this season and is averaging 19:55 TOI per game.
The Preds are being careful with the concussion diagnosis -- as evident by the “concussion-like symptoms” tag -- something head coach Barry Trotz explained prior to tonight’s tilt against Colorado.
“With him we’re going to be very cautious,” Trotz said, per NHL.com. “Good young player who’s got a long and I think a very good career ahead of him. We’ll make sure he’s fully healthy.
“Our training staff will do that. We’re not going to put him in a situation that’s going to have any effects on him later.”