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(PHOTO BY RUSTY BARTON/HOCKEY HALL OF FAME)
KEVIN CHEVELDAYOFF vividly recalls the conversation. It was about six weeks before the 2016 trade deadline, a potentially franchise-changing time for the Winnipeg Jets, when he spoke with soon-to-be free agent Dustin Byfuglien. The franchise was at a crossroads. One season removed from its first playoff berth since arriving in Winnipeg, the Jets were outside a wild-card position, and there were rumors were swirling that ‘Big Buff’ could be wearing a different jersey following the NHL’s trade freeze.
But with the deadline in the offing and Byfuglien inching towards big-money free agency, pen hit paper on a five-year, $38-million contract that kept the blueliner in Aviator Blue. Byfuglien made his reasoning clear to the GM, too. “He talked about, ‘I like what we have going here,’” Cheveldayoff said. “‘I know it takes time, and it’s a great place to play, my family likes it here, and we’ve got some great young players.’”
Byfuglien was prescient, particularly since those were dark days, especially given how far the franchise has come in two-plus years since he signed on the dotted line. But the truth is one didn’t need to dig far beneath the surface to see a team oozing with potential, one built on the bedrock of drafting and developing an elite young core on the verge of having outsized expectations. But this has been the plan all along.
Cheveldayoff remembered early meetings with Jets ownership, back when the organization was seeking to replace former Atlanta Thrashers staff with its own people. Cheveldayoff outlined a plan, drawing on experiences with the Chicago Blackhawks and AHL’s Chicago Wolves. He wanted to evaluate the existing talent, no doubt, but “the long-term look (was) to grow a group of players through drafting and developing and to have that group of players essentially grow up together and grow into something that becomes a cohesive unit.”
The difference between Winnipeg and others who have adopted the draft-and-develop model in the post-lockout, salary cap era is that the Jets have been wary of fast-tracking the future. Aside from prodigious sniper Patrik Laine, selected second overall in 2017, Cheveldayoff and Co. have slow-played prospects who have since become key contributors.
Take Mark Scheifele, a burgeoning star among the NHL’s best, who spent two additional seasons in the OHL after being drafted seventh overall in 2011. Nikolaj Ehlers, too, was sent back to junior after his selection as the ninth overall pick in 2014. Kyle Connor earned his stripes with the Manitoba Moose before he became the NHL’s leading rookie goal-scorer, and Josh Morrissey and Adam Lowry had to make their way through the AHL before becoming featured players. “You make decisions that are in the best interests of both the player and the team, both in the short term and the long term,” Cheveldayoff said. “All these things take a level of buy-in, a level of trust, and an understanding that there’s a bigger picture.”
Taking the long view has helped Cheveldayoff keep course, too. There are others – GMs, organizations, fan bases – who seek the quick fix after repeated regular season disappointments. Yet Cheveldayoff’s trade ledger is relatively barren. He has made 26 trades in seven years. And no one would mistake the Jets GM for a spendthrift. Prior to the 2017-18 off-season, which saw the signings of Steve Mason and Dmitry Kulikov, Winnipeg passed on the high-dollar big fish for cost-effective minnows in free agency. “(Ownership) maintained, as they always maintained, if and when there was an opportunity and we needed to spend, that we would,” Cheveldayoff said. “It’s all about striking when you feel the opportunity is right.”
THE MAN WITH THE PLAN
Cheveldayoff went into the Jets job with a long-term winning strategy – and he stuck with it.
Not to be undersold is the role that coach Paul Maurice has played since his arrival in 2014. As important as staying true to the plan has been, having a voice in the room who understands big-picture thinking, relays that message to the players and leads them into battle knowing the process necessitates pain en route to the destination. Thus, in hiring Maurice, Cheveldayoff was honest: there would be distressing days. “Consequently, he was very candid,” Cheveldayoff said. “And we’ve been very candid with the players we’ve been able to retain, keep and be a part of this, as to what our plan was.”
But through the retention of their own big-name free agents, drafting and developing talent, maintaining focus on the broader scope and hiring a coach willing to take lumps and refocus the veteran leadership during tough times, Cheveldayoff maintains that not only formulating but executing a blueprint that can produce a winner comes from the top down. “It begins and ends with ownership, the commitment and understanding and the buy-in from that group,” Cheveldayoff said. “You also need a knowledgeable and understanding fan base. Fortunately, we have both.”
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