Latest news with #KevinCheveldayoff
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Winnipeg a perfect landing spot for Jonathan Toews' next chapter
The Winnipeg Jets remain in the market to upgrade the centre-ice position and one of the most intriguing players that is available will be Jonathan Toews. The pride of St. Vital recently made it clear through agent Pat Brisson that his healing journey has brought him to a place where an NHL comeback is something he plans to pursue this fall. There's no doubt whatsoever that the Jets will be among the teams interested in Toews' services and given where they are in their competitive window, they absolutely should be. Winnipeg Jets' GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said in January that he had been in touch with Jonathan Toews' representatives. (Jeffrey T. Barnes / The Associated Press Files) Provided Toews can remain healthy after his excruciating battle with long COVID, he checks a lot of boxes for what the organization would be looking for. Wherever Toews lands as an unrestricted free agent, his resumé speaks for itself. For those who need a refresher, Toews is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and has appeared in more than 1,200 games when you include the regular season and the playoffs. He's been a highly-productive player since entering the NHL during the 2007-08 season with the Chicago Blackhawks and his leadership skills are legendary. Toews is a winner who hates to lose and he's someone who isn't afraid of the bright lights or the big stage. These are all qualities that would come in handy for an organziation looking to take the next steps in pursuit of the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. With Luke Schenn the only player on the current roster who has been part of a Stanley Cup champion team, adding someone with three rings to go with an abundance of gold medals looks like a natural fit. Back in January, Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff held court with several reporters on a road trip, including colleague Mike McIntyre, and mentioned he had been in touch with Toews' representatives. 'Knowing Jonathan and knowing what standard he holds himself to as an athlete, and what impact he wants to have in games when he plays, I think it will be an interesting journey to watch how things unfold with him.'– Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff 'He's going to want to play to win. These guys don't want to just say they want to play. He knows the standard he would have to be at, and we would certainly hope to be in that mix,' said Cheveldayoff. 'Knowing Jonathan and knowing what standard he holds himself to as an athlete, and what impact he wants to have in games when he plays, I think it will be an interesting journey to watch how things unfold with him. 'Certainly if he's progressing to that point in time, it would be a real welcome conversation to see if there's a fit both ways. I think it would be a great story for his career, too. Not that he needs another story to his career. But I think he's proud of his roots and would be an interesting fit.' One of the most important factors for Toews in making his decision will be having the ability to play for a winner and the Jets would appear to fit that criteria. Clearly, steps forward were taken by the Jets this past year, when they put together the best regular season since returning to the NHL in 2011 and captured the Presidents' Trophy. That the Jets were among the last eight teams standing reinforced that they were a legitimate contender, but by losing in six games to the Dallas Stars, it was clear the Jets still needed to upgrade the roster slightly to get over the hump. Winning six playoff games was something the Jets hadn't done since 2018 when they advanced to the Western Conference final and racked up nine of the 16 wins required to get your name etched on Lord Stanley's silver chalice. That progress is to be acknowledged and it will also serve as motivation moving forward. Motivation is something Toews is never lacking and by having the game he loves taken away from him, there's no way he would put himself through the physical and mental toll required if he didn't think he could be an effective player. Now, there's no playbook when it comes to what Toews has battled through medically since taking his last shift during the 2022-23 season, when he was limited to 53 games. 'I think it would be a great story for his career, too. Not that he needs another story to his career. But I think he's proud of his roots and would be an interesting fit.'– Kevin Cheveldayoff The last time Toews appeared in the post-season was 2020, when he orchestrated an unlikely upset and the Blackhawks bounced the Edmonton Oilers in four games during the qualifying round. Toews was the most effective player in all three zones in that series — which included two of the best players in the world in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Not only has Toews proven to be a clutch performer, both in the NHL and while suiting up for Canada on the international stage, he's got a level of defensive awareness and competitive spirit that all teams are looking for. Toews won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2010 when the Blackhawks captured the first of three Cups in five years (2013, 2015) and he also won a Selke Trophy as the top defensive forward in the NHL in 2013. It's true that Father Time remains undefeated and that Toews turned 37 on April 29. It's also true that Brad Marchand of the Florida Panthers is 37 and has been a driver on a highly-effective third line as he prepares to suit up in the Stanley Cup this week, while Corey Perry of the Edmonton Oilers turned 40 last month and has seven goals and 10 points in 16 playoff games this spring while flourishing in the role of a complementary scorer and shift disturber. So, while the examples of players making an impact in their late 30s and early 40s remains rare, bet against Toews at your own peril. Toews doesn't need to suit up for his hometown team to enhance his legacy, but for someone who helped the Blackhawks win a championship for the first time since 1961, it's easy to see the appeal of joining a Jets' team that could be knocking on the door. It might just be the perfect landing spot for Toews to write the next chapter in his storied career and to eventually go out on his own terms. On top of winning three Stanley Cups, Jonathan Toews has won two Olympic golds at the 2010 Vancouver and 2014 Sochi Games. (Grigory Dukor / Reuters files) For the Jets, bringing in someone with the pedigree of Toews makes a ton of sense, especially when you consider that captain Adam Lowry is expected to miss the start of the season after undergoing successful hip surgery last week. Lowry's absence means the Jets will have plenty of important minutes to distribute in the early stages of 2025-26, which should provide ample runway for Toews to show what type of role he'll be able to handle. Once Lowry is back to full speed, having him on a depth chart that features Mark Scheifele, Toews and/or Vladislav Namestnikov, Morgan Barron, Rasmus Kupari or David Gustafsson would provide an upgrade — with prospects Brayden Yager and Brad Lambert knocking on the door and looking for inclusion, provided they're not playing on the wing instead. The Jets already have a number of versatile guys that can either be used down the middle or on the wing, including Namestnikov, who has handled the bulk of the second-line centre responsibilities during the past two seasons when Sean Monahan wasn't on the roster. Signing Toews isn't the only option the Jets are going to consider and it's not a make-or-break situation if Captain Serious chooses to go in another direction, but signing him to a one or two year deal is something that could help provide a boost for what will be one of the most important off-seasons in franchise history for Cheveldayoff and his staff. 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.
Global News
28-05-2025
- Sport
- Global News
ANALYSIS: Silence deafening on extension for Jets' Ehlers
Listening to general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff last week, it would appear the Winnipeg Jets are still very much interested in re-signing star forward Nikolaj Ehlers. With essentially one month to go before the 29-year-old Dane hits the open market as an unrestricted free agent, you could say negotiations – if those are truly happening – are past Defcon 5 and rapidly nearing the eleventh hour. Story continues below advertisement During his season-ending availability a week ago Wednesday, the Jets GM said the team would put its best foot forward with Ehlers to try to make a case for him to be a unique Jet for life. In the time between then and now, one would presume that overture has been extended and the Jets' willingness to consummate a new contract understood by the Ehlers camp. 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 From this seat, however, it may not be the Jets' decision any longer and the one major stumbling block to Ehlers' continued future in Winnipeg is, in fact, Ehlers himself. After 10 seasons, nearly 700 games, 225 goals and more than 500 points with the organization, if Ehlers wanted to stay with the Jets, an extension would have been signed long ago. But frankly, he was non-committal, refusing to discuss the subject when pressed earlier in the season, avoiding it totally as the campaign progressed and then seemingly just walking away by boarding a plane for the world championship within hours of the Jets' season concluding against Dallas. Story continues below advertisement Putting it together, the silence is unmistakably deafening. As Cheveldayoff also said last week, players like Ehlers have earned the right to become free agents and that opportunity is respected, but without a doubt, the further this situation moved to this moment, the further it got from ever happening. Sure, the Jets are interested in re-signing Ehlers – they said so last week. The problem is, in reading the tea leaves, it's become painfully clear to many that Ehlers has no interest in re-signing with the Jets.
Globe and Mail
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Jets' Kevin Cheveldayoff among three finalists for NHL GM of the year award
Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is one of three finalists for the 2025 Jim Gregory Award. Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers are the other finalists announced Friday by the NHL for the award given annually to the league's top GM. Cheveldayoff, a runner-up for the award in 2018, built a team that won the Presidents' Trophy as the top regular-season team with a franchise-best 56-22-4 record. His first move of the off-season was hiring Scott Arneil as head coach. Arniel is a finalist for the Jack Adams award, given to the league's top coach. He acquired winger Brandon Tanev and defenceman Luke Schenn at the trade deadline to add to a core that included forwards Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, Nikolaj Ehlers and captain Adam Lowry, defenceman Josh Morrissey and goaltender Connor Hellebuyck – all Cheveldayoff draft picks. The Jets advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs, where they were defeated in six games by Nill's Stars. Dallas (50-26-6, 106 points) finished fifth in the NHL's overall standings during the regular season, marking the first time the franchise posted a top-five finish in consecutive seasons since the Presidents' Trophy-winning teams in 1997-98 and 1998-99. Nill strengthened the roster for the playoffs with the acquisition of winger Mikko Rantanen from Carolina at the March 7 trade deadline. Nill is a finalist for a record fifth time, winning the award in 2023 and 2024. The Stars led the Edmonton Oilers 1-0 in the Western Conference final heading into Game 2 on Friday. Zito and the defending Stanley Cup-champion Panthers posted a 98-point regular season (47-31-4), good for third in the Atlantic Division, but showed their true quality in the playoffs by eliminating Tampa Bay and Toronto to advance to the Eastern Conference final for a third straight year. The Panthers currently lead the conference final 2-0 over the Hurricanes after dominating the opening two games in Raleigh, North Carolina. Zito is a finalist for the third straight season and fourth time overall, finishing third in voting in 2021, 2023 and 2024. The NHL's GM of the year award was renamed in 2019-20 in honour of Jim Gregory, the 2007 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee who served as Toronto Maple Leafs general manager and a league executive for four decades.
CTV News
23-05-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Jets' Cheveldayoff a finalist for NHL general manager of the year with Nill, Zito
Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, right, and head coach Scott Arniel speak to media at a press conference in Winnipeg, Monday, May 27, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/John Woods
Winnipeg Free Press
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Cheveldayoff a finalist for NHL's GM of the year
Kevin Cheveldayoff of the Winnipeg Jets is among the three finalists for the general manager of the year award. The NHL team won its first Presidents' Trophy as the National Hockey League's top overall regular-season team in 2024-25. Voting for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award was conducted among the league's general managers and a panel of NHL executives, print and broadcast media after the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Jim Nill of the Dallas Stars and Bill Zito of the Florida Panthers are the other nominees. The Stars eliminated the Jets from the playoffs in Game 6 of their second-round playoff series.
