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.”

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.

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.

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 decentralized 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.

“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. 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.

mike.mcintyre@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @mikemcintyrewpg

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

X and Bluesky: @wiebesworld