Latest news with #Cheveldayoff
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Jets leadership group excited to have Toews on board
Nikolaj Ehlers would appear to have at least one foot out the door — but Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff isn't ready to close it just yet. 'We'll continue to have conversations until we can't — until we're saying 'Congratulations' or 'Thank you,'' Cheveldayoff said Thursday of the flashy Danish forward, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Ehlers seems determined to at least test the waters and explore what's available on the open market for the first time in his career. But that still leaves the door slightly ajar for the 29-year-old to circle back to the team that drafted him ninth overall in 2014 and has been home for all 719 of his regular-season and playoff games. Jeffrey T. Barnes / The Associated Press Files Jonathan Toews is set to sign with his hometown Winnipeg Jets on July 1. The Jets announced last week they intend to sign hometown product Jonathan Toews to a one-year contract once the NHL calendar flips to the 2025-26 campaign next Tuesday. Cheveldayoff said bringing in the three-time Stanley Cup champion on a unique deal — with a US$2 million base salary and up to US$3 million in bonuses — was part of the pitch to Ehlers. 'I don't want to get too much into the contract, but we structured it on purpose to have flexibility. To be able to pivot and do different things from a signing standpoint of other players as well,' said Cheveldayoff. 'And that was enticing to JT as well. He readily understands what it means to have other players around you, too. Hopefully it moves the needle (with Ehlers). We'll find out.' Ehlers is expected to command a salary in the neighbourhood of US$8 million per year, meaning his decision will significantly impact both the roster and salary cap situation in Winnipeg. As for Toews, the pride of St. Vital is expected to be formally introduced at a news conference next week. 'We've had some great conversations with Jonathan. He's obviously very, very excited,' said Cheveldayoff. Toews is returning to the NHL after a two-year absence related to long COVID and Chronic Immune Response Syndrome (CIRS). He spent several weeks in India for an Ayurvedic detox called Panchakarma which is said to help cleanse the body of impurities that can lead to disease. The veteran forward resumed skating over the winter and recently declared himself 100 per cent, with multiple teams in addition to Winnipeg showing strong interest. 'He was skating in Arizona State and there's some people that have closeness to our scouting staff that talked about how hard he was working and how much he had kind of progressed,' said Cheveldayoff. 'But the thing that they raved about was just him as a person with all of those young players. Every one of those young players raved about how good he made them feel. And that's what he is. He's a leader.' To that end, Cheveldayoff said he reached out to the team's leadership group — captain Adam Lowry and alternates Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey — once talks with Toews began to heat up. Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said Thursday he was excited to bring Jonathan Toews to the roster while hoping he can still find a way to re-sign Nikolaj Ehlers. 'I reached out to our captains and said, 'Look, we're about to have a Zoom with JT. Can I give him your numbers to call?' And within seconds, all of the guys were texting back, 'Absolutely,'' he said. 'Again, when we do get a chance to get him here… I don't think he can make it here for July 1. He's got some commitments. But, shortly thereafter, you guys will get the sense of just how excited he is and how special that the opportunity to come back and play in the National Hockey League is for him.' No doubt the Jets are hoping Toews still has plenty of gas left in the tank, especially with Lowry expected to miss at least the first few weeks of the season — and possibly more — following hip surgery in May for what Cheveldayoff said has been an ongoing issue. 'He's been doing maintenance on it over the course of years. After every season, you kind of do a benchmark test to see where things are at. And this year, after the test, comparing it against last year's test, there was noticeable change, so his doctor's recommendation was that it's going to happen,' he said. 'You don't want to have it happen in the middle of the year. So he made the hard decision, but not a hard decision to get it done at the beginning. I think he's got a checkup coming up here shortly. (Head coach Scott Arniel) said he spoke to him a couple of days ago. He was almost off the crutches, so it's moving along.' The best-case scenario is a return by the end of October, though the timeline remains fluid. 'We won't really (know) until he progresses into the skating phases and stuff like that,' said Cheveldayoff. 'Those are things where you also want to be cautious. You put all of that time and effort into rehab. You want to make sure that it's the right decision.' GAME ON! There's still an entire summer left to enjoy, but the Jets released details Thursday on their six-game pre-season slated to kick off the new campaign. Sun, Sept. 21 vs. Minnesota Wild, Canada Life Centre, 4 p.m. Matt Slocum / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS FILES Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said Thursday that part of the pitch to Nikolaj Ehlers was bringing Jonathan Toews to the roster. Tue, Sept. 23 vs. Edmonton Oilers, Canada Life Centre, 7 p.m. Fri, Sept. 26 at Edmonton Oilers, Rogers Place, 8 p.m. Sat, Sept. 27 vs. Calgary Flames, Canada Life Centre, 7 p.m. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Tue, Sept. 30 at Minnesota Wild, Xcel Energy Center, 7 p.m. Fri, Oct. 3 at Calgary Flames, Scotiabank Saddledome, 8:00 p.m. The 82-game regular-season schedule is expected to be released on July 16. X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg Mike McIntyreReporter Mike McIntyre is a sports reporter whose primary role is covering the Winnipeg Jets. After graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College in 1995, he spent two years gaining experience at the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in 1997, where he served on the crime and justice beat until 2016. Read more about Mike. Every piece of reporting Mike produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Global News
4 days ago
- Sport
- Global News
Winnipeg Jets to make selections from boardroom for new decentralized NHL Draft
The Winnipeg Jets, like every other team, will be making their selections from afar this year. The two-day NHL Draft starts on Friday and the league changed up the draft format as teams won't make their picks in person and will instead make their selections virtually like they did during the COVID years. With the Winnipeg Sea Bears playing at the Canada Life Centre on Friday and the Jets dressing room unavailable, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff will make the Jets picks from a boardroom in their corporate office. He said their draft process has changed greatly over the past decade with the use of algorithms and analytics. While he didn't give any insight into their draft board or say who or what position they're targeting, he did reveal some of the factors they'll consider when making a pick. 'Size does get factored into it,' the Jets G.M. said. 'You don't want to overestimate something or another but there are different factors that maybe if it is a smaller player. Where do they rise in some of the other areas — or vice versa. Story continues below advertisement 'One of the things that I hate to hear in the scouting meetings when you're talking about big players, 'Well he skates well for his size.' No, no, no, no, no…No. Don't say that.' 25:27 RAW: Winnipeg Jets Kevin Cheveldayoff Interview – June 26 After winning the President's Trophy as the top team in the regular season, the Jets won't make a pick until the 28th slot. They have only five selections in the seven-round draft and have no picks in the second and fourth round. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy There's no generational type player available this year and outside the top four or five players, it's thought to be wide open. Cheveldayoff will rely heavily on his scouting staff and analytics department. There's always a few surprises and he said there's no hard science in making selections. 'Sometimes you're sitting at the table and you have to audibly gasp or hold your gasp in because someone takes a player you may have in your second round or something and they take him in the first,' said Cheveldayoff. Story continues below advertisement 'I think that's the art form of scouting. It's not the scientific form of it. If there was a science to it, then everyone would be a lot more right than wrong.' Cheveldayoff also spoke about the recent addition of three-time Stanley Cup champion Jonathan Toews. They expect to officially introduce their newest player in early July once the contract is registered with the league after free agency begins on July 1. Cheveldayoff said it's Toews leadership that really stands out and before the terms were agreed upon, the Jets leaders jumped at the chance to try and get Toews to become a Jet. 'He's obviously very, very excited,' Cheveldayoff said. 'He's on board with both feet, so to speak. And he was talking about the testing. He was talking about what are the standards, what are we trying to uphold here. 'When this started to become more real, I reached out to our captains and said look, we're gonna have a zoom here with JT. Can I give him your numbers to call? And like within seconds all the guys were texting back absolutely.' The NHL Draft starts at 6:00 p.m. Manitoba time on Friday.
Winnipeg Free Press
4 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Decisions aplenty for Cheveldayoff and company
Kevin Cheveldayoff admittedly finds himself at a bit of a crossroads. Does the Winnipeg Jets general manager look to trade his team's 28th-overall draft pick — either individually or as part of a bigger package — in an attempt to plug some current holes on a roster very much in 'win now' mode? Or does he hold on to it and add another teenage prospect to the pipeline who's likely a few years away from making a contribution? 'We've been considering anything and everything, really,' Cheveldayoff said Thursday as he held court with media down at Canada Life Centre. 'It comes down to what opportunities that are out there that you have the right currency for. Sometimes it's players, sometimes it's picks.' Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said the club is 'considering anything and everything' at this year's draft. Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said the club is 'considering anything and everything' at this year's draft. Translation: Stay tuned. We'll know his decision by Friday night, when the 2025 NHL draft gets underway in Los Angeles. Several deals have already materialized around the league this week — Mason Marchment, André Burakovsky, Joe Veleno, Trevor Zegras, Ryan Poehling, Evander Kane, JJ Peterka, Josh Doan, Michael Kesselring, Frederick Gaudreau and Daniil Tarasov all have new hockey homes. Speculation is growing that more moves are on the way. 'I guess that's the fun part, the anticipation,' Cheveldayoff said of this time of year. The Jets once prided themselves on a 'draft and develop' mentality but have strayed from it in recent years, trading away plenty of picks for proven help. Winnipeg had just four selections (out of the original seven) in 2024, including no first-rounder. This year, they hold five picks, having previously dealt away their second- and fourth-rounders. 'We've used lots of picks in other forms to try and keep pushing this team and that's why we'll continue to look at anything that is available to us to keep pushing forward,' said Cheveldayoff. 'It comes down to what opportunities that are out there that you have the right currency for. Sometimes it's players, sometimes it's picks.'–Kevin Cheveldayoff, Winnipeg Jets General Manager Free agency is also right around the corner, beginning July 1, and the Jets could face a significant loss if pending unrestricted free agent Nikolaj Ehlers signs elsewhere. Finding an impact winger for the top six could quickly become the top priority, and a draft-related trade might be part of the solution. By virtue of winning the Presidents' Trophy for being the top regular-season team, then getting knocked out in the second round of the playoffs, the Jets won't get a sniff of the upper-echelon of the first round which is loaded with teenage talent. However, Cheveldayoff believes there will still be good value to be found at No. 28 if they stand pat. Might Winnipeg prefer a defenceman, particularly a right shot, considering the organization's talent pool is relatively shallow beyond Elias Salomonsson? Alfons Freij, their top pick last year in the second round, is a left-shot blueliner. Matt Slocum / The Associated Press Files If the Winnipeg Jets lose Nikolaj Ehlers in free agency, finding an impact winger for their top six could quickly become a top priority. Matt Slocum / The Associated Press Files If the Winnipeg Jets lose Nikolaj Ehlers in free agency, finding an impact winger for their top six could quickly become a top priority. Henry Brzustewicz of the London Knights is one name that has come up in hockey circles as being on Winnipeg's radar and potentially still available by the time they're on the clock. Blake Fiddler of the Edmonton Oil Kings is another. His father, Vern, played 877 NHL games over his career. 'You don't know where they're going to fall to you yet. I think every scout probably has their own wish list,' said Cheveldayoff, noting the unpredictability of what the other 31 teams do ultimately plays a role. 'Sometimes you're sitting at the (draft) table and you audibly gasp, or you hold in your gasp, because someone takes a player that you may have in your second round and they take him in the first. That's the art form of scouting. If there was a science to it, everyone would be a lot more right than wrong. Again, the beauty is in the art of the scouts.' The Jets seemingly have more young depth up front, with the likes of Brad Lambert, Nikita Chibrikov, Brayden Yager, Jacob Julien, Kieron Walton and Kevin He joining the organization in recent years. Christopher Katsarov / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES London Knights' Henry Brzustewicz (right) has come up in hockey circles as being on Winnipeg's radar, as well as Blake Fiddler of the Edmonton Oil Kings. Christopher Katsarov / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES London Knights' Henry Brzustewicz (right) has come up in hockey circles as being on Winnipeg's radar, as well as Blake Fiddler of the Edmonton Oil Kings. If they decide to go that route again, Bill Zonnon (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies), Cole Reschny (Victoria Royals), Swedish centre Milton Gastrin and American centre William Moore have all been linked to Winnipeg in various mock drafts by pundits. One notable change this year means Cheveldayoff and his staff won't have to worry about suppressing their draft reactions — they're going to be holed up in a downtown Winnipeg boardroom as part of the de-centralized format the NHL has incorporated this year. 'There's definitely freedom to talk openly in the room,' said Cheveldayoff. Although players and family members will be in Los Angeles, NHL managers are remaining in their home markets to make selections virtually. The idea was to cut down on travel so close to free agency frenzy. This is expected to be a one-and-done scenario, with the usual format of getting everyone together under one arena roof likely returning next summer. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'The league is going to set up some virtual rooms where the player goes into and we'll get on a virtual call with them right away (after selecting them),' said Cheveldayoff. 'Every team will have a representative there — Jimmy Roy will be there for us as player development. So he'll get the first touch point with the actual player and obviously start the process of getting him into the development side of the organization.' The players Winnipeg selects on Friday (first round only) and Saturday (rounds two through seven) will immediately jump on a plane and get to know their new hockey home immediately. A five-day development camp begins Monday at Hockey For All Centre. Cheveldayoff expects there will still be plenty of chatter with colleagues around the league about potential draft day trades, even if it will be happening via text messages, calls or even Zooms rather than face-to-face. X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg X and Bluesky: @wiebesworld Mike McIntyreReporter Mike McIntyre grew up wanting to be a professional wrestler. But when that dream fizzled, he put all his brawn into becoming a professional writer. Read full biography Ken WiebeReporter Raised in the booming metropolis of Altona, Man., Ken Wiebe grew up wanting to play in the NHL, but after realizing his hands were more adept at typing than scoring, he shifted his attention to cover his favourite sport as a writer. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Global News
23-06-2025
- Business
- Global News
ANALYSIS: What's next on Jets GM's to-do list?
Now that an agreement has been reached by the Winnipeg Jets with Jonathan Toews on a one-year deal, what could be next on Kevin Cheveldayoff's to-do list? Under normal circumstances, Cheveldayoff would be en route to the host city of the NHL entry draft to huddle up with his management inner circle and the organization's pro and amateur scouting staffs. Story continues below advertisement But with the decentralized format in play for the 2025 event, which begins with Round 1 Friday at 6 p.m. central time at LA Live's Peacock Theatre, all meetings with draft picks will be done virtually. So that gives Cheveldayoff and company at least an extra 10-12 hours of non-commuting time to potentially have a last-minute conversation or two with Nikolaj Ehlers and/or his agent Andre Rufener ahead of the beginning of unrestricted free agency next Tuesday. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy And if the situation with Ehlers were to remain status quo, there would be extra time to work the phones and gauge the level of interest in the Jets' 28th overall pick Friday night in an attempt to bolster Winnipeg's present roster with a player that falls into the category of 'difficult to play against.' I'm pretty sure Cheveldayoff and the Jets are rarely, if ever, influenced by the actions of the other current Cup contenders, but the last four teams to win it all have placed very little stock recently in the long-term development of first-round draft picks. Story continues below advertisement Counting Friday night, Florida and Tampa Bay will have each had one first-round pick in total over the last five drafts. The Vegas Golden Knights have traded away six of the seven players they've selected in the first round since joining the NHL in 2017. The Colorado Avalanche have one first-round pick playing in their organization since taking Cale Makar fourth overall in 2017. As Tampa Bay GM Julien Brisebois said at the trading deadline this past spring, 'I'd rather have a lineup full of good players than a bank of a ton of draft picks.' Only Cheveldayoff knows if that's a rationale the Jets might consider adopting for their immediate future.
Global News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Global News
ANALYSIS: Jets' blue line could be crowded heading into next season
Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has a full plate to deal with in the off-season. And some of the more interesting decisions will include what to do about the blue line depth chart. Suppose all goes according to plan this summer and Dylan Samberg signs a long-term deal in the seven-to-eight-year range. In that case, we can be pretty certain the Hermantown Two of Samberg and Neal Pionk — along with the longtime two of Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo — will form the Jets' top four on defence for the coming season and beyond. Story continues below advertisement After that, it gets interesting. Right-shot veterans Colin Miller and Luke Schenn still have one more year on their respective contracts. As do Logan Stanley and Ville Heinola on the left side. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy And then interesting turns into crowded if pending unrestricted free agent Haydn Fleury parlays his impressive first season as a Jet into something beyond a one-year deal and if Elias Salomonsson arrives as an NHL defenceman ahead of schedule. Winnipeg's cupboard of blueline prospects isn't exactly over-flowing, but there's also no immediate need for help. So with what Cheveldayoff, head coach Scott Arniel, and the rest of the organization know about Stanley and Heinola, is it time to give one or both players a chance to become full-time NHLers somewhere else? Stanley is just one year away from unrestricted free agency. There is more time on the clock before Heinola will have his chance to test the open market. Story continues below advertisement Can Cheveldayoff make a deal — or deals — to turn a couple of young veterans into assets that better fit Winnipeg's timeline? Lord knows both former first-round draft picks have been professional in handling difficult situations and, for the most part, they've been patient. At some point, the Jets have to fish or cut bait. The latter option might be the best course of action, especially with a pair of players who could potentially slide even further down the pecking order in 2025-26.
