Homecoming for Cheveldayoff, Buff

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This article was published 14/10/2011 (5106 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CHICAGO — Among those who had important reunions in Chicago this week was Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff.

With his team playing Game 2 of the season in Chicago, it was a chance for him to catch up with his family.

The former Blackhawks’ assistant GM’s wife and children are staying in the Chicago area this season.

“It’s good to see my family, staying here for the year allowing me to get set up,” Cheveldayoff said Thursday. “It’s good to see all the people. When you win a championship (2010), those ties last forever and it doesn’t matter which organization you’re with. It is a big family here and it’s the type of culture I want to develop and is already developed with the Winnipeg Jets.”

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About the hockey — how much stress has Cheveldayoff been feeling of late?

“Each and every day you think about your team,” he said. “It’s a 24/7 job regardless of win or loss. You don’t pat yourself when you win and you don’t get too critical when you don’t. You just have to evaluate and keep on moving.”

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Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien was among the Jets met by dozens of autograph-seeking fans outside the team’s downtown hotel this week.

Nothing new there, Byfuglien said.

“It’s just Chicago in general,” he smiled on Thursday. “I don’t think it matters who you are. There are a lot of seekers around here and guys wanted autographs. It was different but it was expected.”

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Jets coach Claude Noel didn’t want to hear any sour graping on Thursday night about a video review that didn’t go Winnipeg’s way.

Evander Kane appeared to poke the puck past Chicago goalie Ray Emery and Emery was seen pulling the puck back from behind the right post at 3:09 of the second period, a possible goal that would have tied the game.

“They just said it didn’t cross the line,” Noel said. “I didn’t see it so I assume it wasn’t (in).”

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Noel was more than pleased with the game of Jets centre Jim Slater, who staked his team to a 2-0 lead on Thursday.

“He scored a couple of goals and deserved to be on the ice,” the coach said. “How could you not like him? I thought he did a really good job, an effective player in everything he did.

“He started off in a checking role and they would have had to figure out who’s checking who.”

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The Jets shortened their bench in the third period of Thursday’s game, trying to generate the tying goal.

Casualties in terms of ice time were wingers Tanner Glass and Chris Thorburn, as well as rookie Mark Sheifele, whose time diminished to 9:25 on Thursday after being 13:44 in the opener.

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No pane of Glass: Grinder Tanner Glass says he and his Jets teammates should grow thick skins playing in Winnipeg.

“The media is intense but it’s a good thing. It makes us as players accountable,” said Glass. “I don’t read the papers but you don’t have to — you can tell from the line of questioning after the game. If someone has a rough night there are people on his doorstep asking questions. To me, it’s a good thing.”

 

— Tim Campbell, Gary Lawless