"Things went well. I felt good and had no issues either game, so the next step is see how this goes. It's way different [in the AHL], but when you haven't played in 8 months I thought it was a good opportunity to play at a level just below this to kind of get used to the pace again and the timing and it was good to take advantage of that."
Jones played 20 minutes, 12 seconds, and was credited with two blocked shots, playing in place of Luca Sbisa, who was a healthy scratch. This is where it will get interesting for the Flyers, with eight healthy defensemen and a tight salary cap. The Flyers have been winning and someone will have to sit. Lasse Kukkonen was also a healthy scratch, but he has been in and out of the lineup all season.
The Flyers have said all along that giving Sbisa games off now and then would be how they avoid overloading the 18-year-old, instead of sending him back to junior hockey.
Jones understands that his job is not going to be handed to him even in light of the way he played last year and in the playoffs, which was enough to earn him a 2-year contract extension in the offseason.
"Just because I'm back doesn't mean that they will throw me back in the lineup. It doesn't matter how I play, I have to go out and compete," he said. "This is a team game and it's up to the coaches to play the best players, the ones that look the best to win the game. I have to earn a spot and that starts now."
Jones should be getting a solid look since he was factored into the Flyers' preseason plans to change their defense into a more mobile, puck-moving group.
"Not to take anything away from the guys that are playing, I think our guys have done a great job," coach John Stevens said. "This is the first time that we have four guys that can all play the power play and Jones gives you another weapon.
