A former defenseman for the Colorado Avalanche appears to be running out of opportunities to establish himself in the NHL. Caleb Jones, the younger brother of Stanley Cup winner Seth Jones, was placed on waivers by the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, with plans to send him down to their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
The 29-year-old has only played in 13 NHL games over the past two seasons, spending time with both the Los Angeles Kings and the Penguins. Last season, he played seven games with Pittsburgh and recorded just one assist. His future in the league is now uncertain once again.
Jones started his pro career with the Edmonton Oilers after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft. After development stints in the Western Hockey League and AHL, he made his NHL debut in December 2018 against Philadelphia. He was traded from Edmonton to Chicago in 2021 as part of the deal that brought Duncan Keith to Edmonton. After two seasons with the Blackhawks, he signed with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2023, but was traded to Colorado before playing any regular-season games for Carolina. He played 25 games with Colorado during the 2023-24 season, registering five assists, which was his only stint with the Avalanche.
Following his contract expiration, Jones left Colorado as a free agent and signed with the Kings, appearing in six NHL games in the 2024-25 season but failing to score. He mostly played with their AHL affiliate, Ontario Reign. In July 2025, the Penguins signed him to a two-year, $1.8 million deal, but his time there has been rocky—most notably, he was suspended for 20 games in February 2026 for violating the NHL/NHLPA performance-enhancing substances program. Since then, he has oscillated between the Penguins and their AHL team, with the team now seemingly planning to send him back down.
(Image of Caleb Jones in action)
Fan Take: The struggles of Caleb Jones highlight how difficult it is to maintain a steady NHL career, especially for players on the fringe. This story underscores the high stakes and relentless competition in professional hockey, reminding fans that even talented players must continually prove their worth at the highest level.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
