A former Edmonton Oilers defenceman is available for free after being placed on waivers by the LA Kings.
Caleb Jones, originally drafted by the Oilers back in 2015 and spent three seasons playing in the Alberta capital, hit the waiver wire this afternoon. He has appeared in just five games with the Kings this season and has to record a point.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the day’s waiver wire, including Joseph Anderson from the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks forward Givani Smith.
Waivers today:
Joseph Anderson (CHI)
Caleb Jones (LA)
Givani Smith (SJ)— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) December 8, 2024
Jones played 93 games with the Oilers between 2018 and 2021, scoring five goals and 19 points. He appeared to be an up-and-coming defenceman for Edmonton, but he was ultimately moved out in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks that saw Duncan Keith go the other way.
In Chicago, Caleb was able to reunite with his brother Seth Jones. He played two seasons with the Blackhawks before signing with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2023. Before playing a game with Carolina, he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche, where he split time between the NHL and AHL last season.
Jones’ winding path continued this past summer when he signed a one-year contract worth $775,000 with the Kings. If claimed by another team, Jones will have been with his fifth different organization over the past three seasons.
While the Oilers are in the market for a defenceman, it’s unlikely that a reunion with Jones is imminent. His play has dropped off since his time in Edmonton, and there is an argument to be made that the team already employs better players for that role with guys like Troy Stecher and Travis Dermott.