Caleb Jones came along to watch his big brother Seth Jones on draft day in 2013 in Newark, N.J. The Jones family waited anxiously until the highly prized prospect was taken fourth overall by the Nashville Predators.
Defenseman Caleb Jones sports Edmonton’s new retro jersey. He hopes to join big brother Seth Jones in the NHL.
This year, it was Caleb’s turn. The sturdy defenseman from the U.S. National Team Development Program was drafted in the fourth round by the Edmonton Oilers, 117th overall. “This was a little less nerve-wracking,” he said.
At 6 foot and 194 pounds, Caleb is the smaller of the hockey-playing sons of Popeye Jones, the former NBA player, but he may be the grittier of the two. “I’m a two-way defenseman,” he said. “I play a physical game, aggressive in the corners.”
He had 8 points in 25 games last season with the NTDP, but also 28 penalty minutes against opposition in the United States Hockey League.
As Seth Jones did, on the way to becoming one of the up-and-coming elite NHL defensemen, Caleb will go to play for the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL next season.
Color of Hockey’s Lew Serviss wrote this report.