Adam Vingan

USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee

The Predators were probably the only team in the NHL that could remove a player like Seth Jones from their roster without drastically weakening their defense.

They didn't want to do it. Predators general manager David Poile was hesitant to disrupt the defensive depth that was the envy of the league, but it had to be done to improve the team's stable of forwards. On Jan. 6, Nashville flipped Jones to Columbus for center Ryan Johansen, a long-rumored trade of two fourth overall draft picks that gave each team something it seriously needed.

"It's funny because all of the guys in Nashville, especially on the back end, are so tight on and off the ice," Jones said during a recent phone interview. "We kind of knew something was bound to happen. Obviously, we didn't know when. We understood that probably someone was going to go, but just didn't know who or when."

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When Jones makes his first visit to Nashville to face his former teammates Saturday, he'll do so in a much more significant role than he ever played in two-plus seasons with the Predators. In 33 games for the Blue Jackets, Jones is averaging a team-leading 24:27 of ice time per game, almost five more minutes than he did in 40 games before the trade.

"He's been good," Predators captain Shea Weber said. "I've had a chance to watch him on TV a fair bit, and any chance I've seen him, he's played well. It was a tough battle here. With our defense being so deep, it was tough to get anybody a lot of minutes, to be honest. I think with him moving, he's got more responsibility and he's done well since."

Jones spent most of his 199-game Predators career as a bottom-pairing defenseman. The 21-year-old had the talent to play more meaningful minutes, but Nashville didn't need him to. With Weber, Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis receiving the majority of the defensive responsibilities, Jones became an incredible luxury for the Predators, a top-two defenseman on almost every other NHL team playing on the third pair.

But Jones wanted a chance to grow, which would've been difficult in Nashville with Weber and Ellis blocking his path on the right side of the team's depth chart. When Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella told Jones upon his arrival that he had no intention of easing him in and expected him to immediately handle tougher assignments, Jones was obviously excited.

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"Everyone there deserves what they got. ... I think it just had to happen," Jones said of his previous situation. "I think Shea and Roman were the guys there and they deserved everything they got. I don't know if the minutes I'm getting here (wouldn't) have been the minutes I (could have eventually gotten) in Nashville. Maybe down the road, I don't know. That's a question I don't have the answer to, but I think just the opportunity to play more was obviously quicker here."

In Columbus, Jones has been matched up against higher-quality competition on a nightly basis, which has strengthened the defensive aspect of his game. He's learned how to manage the game better, too, becoming more aware of when he needs to hold his ground instead of joining the attack.

Jones said that "learning from some spectacular defensemen" in Nashville guided him in his transition to his role in Columbus, which he believes has accelerated his career path.

"I think I was developing well in Nashville," Jones said. "At the same time, obviously everyone wants to develop as fast as they possibly can, and I'm the same way. So I think here I can develop a little bit quicker.

"(It's different) watching someone play the minutes. You have to learn from experience, I think."

Reach Adam Vingan on Twitter @AdamVingan.

Ryan Johansen for Seth Jones trade makes sense for Blue Jackets and Predators

SETH JONES BEFORE/AFTER TRADE TO COLUMBUS

Average ice time per game: 19:38/24:27

Even-strength ice time per game: 15:36/19:17

Shifts per game: 24.0/28.2

Points: 11/17

NEXT GAME

BLUE JACKETS at PREDATORS

When: 7 p.m. Saturday

TV/radio: Fox TN/102.5 FM