JETS’ CHEVELDAYOFF NOT CELEBRATING YET
Winnipeg GM knows next step is even tougher, writes Ken Wiebe
Sense of relief ?
Sure.
Source of pride? Absolutely.
But if you think Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is jumping for joy after simply returning to the Stanley Cup playoffs, think again. Of course, Cheveldayoff is happy to see his team back in the post-season after missing out in each of the past two springs. The real work is just beginning for a franchise that is still searching for its first playoff victory, let alone its first series win. “Everyone talks about the excitement of the playoffs and the opportunity. It’s why you play the game — to win the Stanley Cup,” Cheveldayoff said in a telephone interview on Sunday. “You need to punch your ticket to get to the next season here. (The regular season) is a grind. It’s 82 games, the ups and the downs, the injuries, all that goes into it, it’s a difficult thing to get to. “For the lucky ones that do, it should be relished.”
The Jets (48-20-10) continue a four-game road trip on Monday against the Ottawa Senators. Unlike the last playoff appearance in 2015, when the Jets got into the post-season on the second-to-last game and were the eighth seed in the Western Conference, the expectations are higher on this group.
Not that the Jets were in that happy to be there category when they were swept by the Anaheim Ducks, but they basically emptied the tank just to get in. That’s not the case this time. “The players that have been around for a while and certainly the young players now know how hard it is to get to this point,” said Cheveldayoff. “The excitement level will certainly ramp up when the puck does drop here. Whether you’re the Presidents’ Trophy winner or squeak in by a point, you have that same opportunity to continue playing now.”
But the Jets placed higher expectations on themselves before training camp even started and they’ve dealt with them by focusing on the day ahead of them, as clichéd as that sounds. Given that the Jets remain among the top teams in the NHL — they’re currently fifth in points with 106 — it’s clear the approach is serving them well.
And when the playoffs begin next week, the Jets won’t need to alter that approach one bit. Success in the post-season doesn’t usually happen without having to overcome adversity and the Jets have ample experience on that front, as they’ve accumulated nearly 300 mangames lost due to injury. Many of those injuries were of the long-term variety and were to some of the main drivers on the Jets, including Mark Scheifele and Jacob Trouba. “There have been opportunities for players to play different roles or to get into the lineup. You have to embrace it and live in that moment,” said Cheveldayoff. “That’s certainly something that will continue to be a model (for the Jets) moving forward.” Consistency has been a hallmark for the Jets, who have endured only two three-game losing streaks all season (and in both cases that third game included a point earned by getting to extra time). Cheveldayoff made one of the biggest trades prior to the NHL trade deadline, acquiring Paul Stastny from the St. Louis Blues and he also picked up Joe Morrow as an insurance policy, which turned out handy when Toby Enstrom and Dmitry Kulikov were sidelined.
“About a month before the deadline, when we began to crystallize what we might need,” said Cheveldayoff. “Both players have fit in seamlessly.” Goaltending has been a big part of the Jets turnaround and Connor Hellebuyck did more than just accept the challenge after Steve Mason was signed to a twoyear deal this past summer. Mason started the first two games, but Hellebuyck wrestled the starting job away and is currently second in the NHL with 41 wins and in the discussion as a Vezina Trophy candidate. Jets captain Blake Wheeler has done an excellent job setting the tone and he leads the NHL in assists, while second-year winger Patrik Laine remains second in the NHL in goals.
The Jets are a four-line hockey team and the organizational depth has been evident when called upon.
There were some folks wondering aloud why Cheveldayoff gave Jets head coach Paul Maurice a multi-year contract extension last summer after missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons. The reason was simple: Cheveldayoff believed Maurice was the right guy to lead a group he felt was on the rise.
“For me, that was a decision that was logical to make. I’m very happy to have done it then and even happier now,” said Cheveldayoff. “What shouldn’t go unappreciated here is the job the coaching staff has done, with getting all of these players on the same page.”
Cheveldayoff deserves his share of the credit as well and he received a compliment from Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock on Saturday during his media session.
“The guy in Winnipeg, the guy you never hear about (Cheveldayoff ), the GM has done an unbelievable job,” said Babcock. “He was a winner when he was in the (International Hockey League) and everywhere he went, he’s won. He’s built a program there and (the Jets) have got lots of good players and obviously, we feel like we’re going in the right direction too.
“But only time is going to tell for both of us.”