Latest news with #KevinCheveldayoff
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Jets set for free agency opening with questions to answer
The expectation is that the biggest splash has already been made by the Winnipeg Jets, but that doesn't mean the official opening of free agency on Tuesday will be entirely quiet either. With the services of Jonathan Toews already secured and the contract set to be filed on July 1, the Jets will be turning their attention to augmenting the roster. The biggest question left to answer is what will happen with pending UFA forward Nikolaj Ehlers, and while Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said last week that discussions will continue until he's either saying congratulations or thank you, the likelihood of the dynamic Dane remaining in the fold seems to be dwindling. The likelihood of the Jets' Nikolaj Ehlers plays staying with the team appears to be dwindling. (Matt Slocum / The Associated Press files) Should Ehlers depart in free agency, a deal with the Carolina Hurricanes seems to be the most likely destination — though there will be a lengthy line of suitors willing to offer a multiyear deal north of $8.5 million. If Ehlers moves on after a decade in the NHL, it leaves a gaping hole on a second line that could include Toews and Cole Perfetti. Brock Boeser is a name that makes a lot of sense, but can the Jets win a bidding war for his services given the competition that will be there for him as well? That remains to be seen. Then there's the matter of sniper Kyle Connor and captain Adam Lowry being eligible to sign contract extensions as of Tuesday. Is this something that gets taken care of quickly or might it take a bit more time? The expectation is that both deals get done before the season begins, as both Connor and Lowry appear interested in being lifetime Jets. It's not impossible that forwards Mason Appleton and Brandon Tanev could stick around, but most signs point to them finding new teams during the coming days — though both players enjoyed their time with the Jets. By extending defenceman Haydn Fleury, the Jets seem mostly set on the back end — other than getting a new deal done for pending restricted free agent Dylan Samberg. The Jets actually have a surplus of NHL D-men, so there could be a move coming with one of them to shore up for the forward group as well. Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said last week that discussions with Nikolaj Ehlers will continue until he's either saying congratulations or thank you. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press files) While the Jets look strong in goal with Connor Hellebuyck and Eric Comrie at the NHL and prospects Thomas Milic and Dom DiVincentiis in the system, it wouldn't be surprising to see Winnipeg pursue a veteran to share the crease with them on the Manitoba Moose and serve as the No. 3 guy on the depth chart. Speaking of the Moose, after a tough season, signing a few quality depth players that could bounce between the NHL and AHL is likely on the to-do list as well in order to provide a bit more offensive talent and insulation for some of the top prospects. So while the Jets won't likely be shopping in the high-priced aisle that includes defenceman Aaron Ekblad or feisty forward Brad Marhand, that doesn't necessarily mean they'll be sitting on the sidelines either come Tuesday. With that in mind, here's a look at some players that could be on the Jets' radar for some of the aforementioned vacancies: Position: Right wing Age: 28 2024-25 stats: 75 GP, 25 G, 25 A, 50 P, 3 GWG, 145 SOG, 18:10 TOI AAV last season: $6.65 million The skinny: The six-time 20-goal scorer will be in high demand, especially being just two years removed from posting career-highs in goals (40) and points (73). The 'down' season Boeser is coming off of still included 25 goals and 50 points — with nine goals and 20 points coming on the power play. The Jets have been watching Boeser since he played in Grand Forks at the University of North Dakota and he could help fill a hole up front. His 29 games of playoff experience would also be welcome for a team looking to take the next steps in the post-season. Position: Left wing Age: 29 2024-25 stats: 81 GP, 14 G, 14 A, 28 P, 3 GWG, 95 SOG, 13:02 TOI AAV last season: $5.8 million The skinny: A tenacious forechecker who goes to the hard areas that could supply secondary scoring and contribute to the second power play. The feisty forward has delivered 14 or more goals in six consecutive seasons, including a 35-goal, 55-point campaign with the Calgary Flames in 2021-22. He fit in well with the Washington Capitals last season and could do the same with the Jets. Position: Left/right wing Age: 30 on July 18 2024-25 stats: 56 GP, 15 G, 14 A, 29 P, 4 GWG, 109 SOG, 14:30 TOI AAV last season: $1.075 million The skinny: A strong skater with an excellent shot, Olofsson scored six times on the power play last season. Although he still needs to improve his play away from the puck, he took some steps with his two-way game under Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy. Olofsson might not get to market, but if he does, the Jets could be a fit, given the middle-six minutes that could be available. Position: Right wing Age: 29 on July 23 2024-25 stats: 67 GP, 6 G, 8 A, 14 P, 2 GWG, 66 SOG, 11:55 TOI AAV last season: $1 million The skinny: The numbers don't pop off the page, but the light bulb seemed to go on for the Finnish forward down the stretch and during the Stanley Cup playoffs, as the Edmonton Oilers pushed the Florida Panthers to six games in the final. Occasionally seeing time alongside Leon Draisaitl, the 22nd overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft showed off his speed and provided some secondary scoring (three goals, six points in 12 playoff games). The speedy right-handed winger was also used on the penalty kill. Position: Right wing Age: 30 2024-25 stats: 13 GP, 4 G, 3 A, 7 P, 15 SOG, 1 GWG, 13:54 TOI AAV last season: $3.5 million The skinny: A knee injury forced the 6-foot-5, 234-pound winger to miss the majority of the season, but the Jets have been linked to the player in the past and there could be an opportunity for him to re-establish himself as a middle-six winger on a show-me contract. He's been a high-volume shooter for most of his career, eclipsing 100 shots on goal nine times, including registering 198 with the Detroit Red Wings in 2018-19. X and Bluesky: @WiebesWorld Ken WiebeReporter Ken Wiebe is a sports reporter for the Free Press, with an emphasis on the Winnipeg Jets. He has covered hockey and provided analysis in this market since 2000 for the Winnipeg Sun, The Athletic, and TSN. Ken was a summer intern at the Free Press in 1999 and returned to the Free Press in a full-time capacity in September of 2023. Read more about Ken. Every piece of reporting Ken 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.
New York Times
4 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff talks NHL Draft, Nikolaj Ehlers, Jonathan Toews: 5 things we learned
Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff says he'll keep speaking with Nikolaj Ehlers about a contract extension until he can't anymore. He says Winnipeg built bonuses into its contract for Jonathan Toews to give itself flexibility to add players. Ehlers could be a big part of that, but the dynamic forward has informed the Jets he's going to explore the unrestricted free-agent market. It's possible he won't find the price, opportunity and fit he's looking for — the door is not slammed shut on a Winnipeg return — but he is one of the top forwards available in a league that has $240 million more cap space than it did one year ago. If he likes the idea of the Carolina Hurricanes, for example, Ehlers is a readymade Martin Necas replacement for a team with $26.7 million in cap space and only a few roster spots to fill. Advertisement Is Winnipeg still in dialogue with Ehlers? 'We'll continue to have conversations until we can't, until we're saying 'Congratulations' or 'Thank you,'' Cheveldayoff said Thursday. 'Hopefully, (Toews' signing) moves the needle. We'll find out.' Cheveldayoff was more forthcoming about myriad other Jets topics Thursday, including moments of frustration at recent NHL Drafts, from Winnipeg's plans with its first-round pick Friday through Adam Lowry, Brad Lambert and Nikita Chibrikov injury updates, plus a thought on what the Jets can do about the sheer number of no-trade clauses in the NHL. Here's what we learned from Cheveldayoff this week. A comprehensive study of multiple public draft rankings reveals more agreement from list to list than in other years. Cheveldayoff shares that sentiment after comparing public rankings with the ones created by Winnipeg's scouts. 'We're seeing a lot of the same names when it comes to public lists,' Cheveldayoff said. 'You're just seeing them in a different order.' To him, the names aren't quite as interesting as the 'drop-off' points. Some analysts say there isn't much difference between players projected for the middle of the first round and those available in the middle of the second round this year. This is not a consensus. The Athletic's Corey Pronman disagrees, arguing instead that the first big drop-off will happen roughly between picks No. 20 and 25. The Jets don't pick until No. 28. If Pronman is right, a lot of the top-end talent will be off the board. If he's wrong, the Jets can choose between a variety of impact players even towards the tail end of Round 1. The draft could break many ways before the Jets make their selection, and Winnipeg wants to be prepared for each possible outcome. Advertisement The Jets will study eight to 10 years of draft data, comparing how their scouts ranked each player with when each player was taken in the draft. 'You see where other respected outside lists have him on their list and (see) where they're taken,' Cheveldayoff said. 'Then, guys that are much smarter than me put them into the computer and write the algorithms to try and say that, 'Based on history, this guy could go here. (Based on) where we have him on our list and where they have him on their lists, we think there's a great probability that he's going to be there for you.'' If you've ever participated in a fantasy hockey draft, you've felt the pressure of unexpected moments. Maybe someone takes a goalie earlier than expected, causing a run on all the starters. Maybe other GMs go after player types you're not interested in, and you want to know whether the player you're hoping for will make it to your next pick. The Jets are using data to remove some of the guesswork, even though Cheveldayoff acknowledges everything can change in an instant. 'The funny thing is, as soon as a player is taken out of order, those things change,' he said. 'It's a dynamic type of situation. It adds a level, where you've gone in scouting from boards on the wall where you'd write the names down to now doing things like this that make it that much more detailed.' When it started to look like Toews was a real possibility for Winnipeg, Cheveldayoff reached out to his leadership group for their thoughts. It was partially a courtesy call — permission to share those players' phone numbers with Toews so he could reach out and ask questions. It was also a chance for Cheveldayoff to gauge his leadership group's response to the acquisition of a marquee player with a lot of clout. He says all three of his captains texted back 'within seconds' with enthusiasm for Toews to reach out. Advertisement That's not insignificant. Toews was the Chicago Blackhawks' captain from 2008 through 2023. He's going to have an impact on the Jets' leadership group with or without a letter on his jersey, and, as the team's new elder statesman, he's probably someone Lowry, Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey look up to. A less secure leadership group might have balked. This one was all in. Cheveldayoff shared one other piece of Toews recruitment information. '(Toews) was skating in Arizona State. There's some people that have closeness to our scouting staff that talked about how hard he was working and how much he had progressed,' Cheveldayoff said. '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.' Winnipeg's prospect pool has thinned to the point that it needs help at every position. It's not as simple as saying the Jets need a defenceman, despite Elias Salomonsson's being the lone blue-chip prospect on that front, nor are they set at wing just because Kyle Connor is a threat to score 90 points each season. Connor Hellebuyck, the gold standard for Jets draft espionage, is 32 years old. Thomas Milic and Dom DiVincentiis are good prospects, but it could even be time for the Jets to pick a goaltender such as Joshua Ravensbergen if he's available at No. 28. The Jets are more likely to take a big centre or defenceman early, saving goaltending for the tail end of the draft. We covered 12 forward and defenceman possibilities for the Jets in this piece. If Henry Brzustewicz falls to Winnipeg at No. 28, the big right-shot defenceman is a good candidate. The Jets have done due diligence on the extremely talented 6-foot-0 right wing Ryker Lee. That said, big centres such as William Horcoff, Mason West and Milton Gastrin have a lot of appeal. Advertisement Asked whether Winnipeg would take a forward, a defenceman or simply the best player available, Cheveldayoff smiled and said, 'Yes.' 'The number of no-trade clauses is unique to the NHL, and so too is the proportion of them likely to include the Jets.' That's from my most recent Jets mailbag, wherein I did the following research: According to PuckPedia, the NHL has 80 players with full NMCs and another 164 players with at least some amount of no-trade protection. Remember that 49 percent of polled NHL players report that Winnipeg would be the first team on their no-trade clause; add them to the 80 NMCs, and you get at least 160 players — 21.7 percent of the league — likely to have a 'no, thank you' to Winnipeg built into their contracts. (That number is likely higher, assuming that Winnipeg is sometimes second, third, etc., on a no-trade clause.) The NHL and NHLPA are close to agreeing on several tweaks for the next CBA. Other leagues such as MLB, the NBA and the NFL offer various forms of no-trade protection, but they're much harder for players to attain. Isn't this a much bigger deal than tax rates? What can the Jets do to advocate for themselves? 'The players that get the opportunity to have no-trades in their contracts — and we hand out some as well with guys on our own contracts — they've earned that right. Something like (changing no-trade clauses) would have to be collectively bargained out,' Cheveldayoff said. 'Everything comes at a cost. Whether it was discussed or is discussed is above my pay grade when it comes to what eventually happens in a CBA. Everything in there is negotiated, so whether we like it or don't like it, when it's in there you read it, abide by it and move on.' It was a diplomatic way of saying Winnipeg's hands are tied. Clawing back on no-trade clauses takes buy-in from a much broader group of NHL teams and requires a major concession to the NHLPA by the NHL's owners. Don't hold your breath. Advertisement Lowry had hip surgery May 27 to address an ongoing ailment, one that has required maintenance over multiple years. After every season, Lowry has undergone what Cheveldayoff called a 'benchmark test.' This year, there was a noticeable change in Lowry's condition compared with last season, so his doctor recommended surgery. Lowry decided to do it as soon as possible to miss as little of next season as possible, but he's still expected to miss some time at the start. Lowry is 'almost' out of crutches now, Cheveldayoff said, with a wide range of possibilities for his return to NHL action. 'We won't really (have clarity) until he progresses into the skating phases. 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,' Cheveldayoff said. The Jets' release May 28 suggested a five- to six-month recovery. Meanwhile, Lambert's ankle is fully healed. He would likely have joined Winnipeg's practices if the Jets beat the Dallas Stars in the playoffs. Chibrikov's lower-body injury appears to have taken longer. He's expected to train for the rest of the summer in Toronto or Florida and join Winnipeg at training camp. Cheveldayoff said Thursday that Winnipeg's message for Chibrikov, Lambert and the young players at development camp next week is that opportunity is on its way. 'At some point in time, there's going to be opportunity. It could come quick, or it could come down the line, but, as an organization, we need you to take these next steps. Everybody wants to play. The young players want to play quick, fast, now. We want them to play when they're ready and for a long time.' We'll get two more opportunities to speak with Cheveldayoff before free agency opens Tuesday, after the first round of the draft, via video call, and again at development camp Monday. (Top photo of Nikolaj Ehlers: Bob Frid / Imagn Images)
New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Winnipeg Jets NHL Draft guide: Picks, best fits and analysis
The Winnipeg Jets have five picks in the 2025 NHL Draft: Nos. 28, 92, 156, 188, 220. Here's what to expect. Winnipeg has drafted a lot of forwards with its high picks in recent years. They, for the most part, are wingers, so I could buy center as a need here outside of Brayden Yager. Defense seems a slightly bigger priority, though, especially given Ville Heinola didn't pan out. Winnipeg needs to hit big with the No. 28 pick, trade it for multiple second-round picks, or accept that it's not much of a draft-and-develop team anymore. It's remarkable that the Jets' prospect pool was ranked 15th by Scott Wheeler or even 24th by Corey Pronman, given that they've traded away 13 of their last 42 draft picks. That figure doesn't include this year's second-round pick, which Winnipeg sent to New Jersey (as part of the package for Tyler Toffoli) or Winnipeg's fourth-round pick, which was sent to San Jose for Vladislav Namestnikov. Advertisement Kevin Cheveldayoff made it clear on Thursday that every option is on the table for Winnipeg's first-round pick. 'We're one of the bottom four teams to have picked in the draft in the last couple of years,' Cheveldayoff said. '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.' — Murat Ates In recent mock drafts, Corey Pronman has projected the following picks: 28. Henry Brzustewicz, D 92. Burke Hood, G 156. Jesper Kotajarvi, D 188. Mikhail Fyodorov, RW 220. Reko Alanko, D (Photo of Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Global News
5 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
5 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.
