This certainly isn’t the season most Jets fans were expecting.
After a President’s Trophy winning season, the fall has been hard and fast, but it might be exactly what they needs.
With an aging core, a re-set was on the horizon, and I think general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is the perfect person to be at the head of the team.
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Winnipeg Jets’ general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff during training camp at Hockey For All Centre Thursday.
250918 – Thursday, September 18, 2025.
The advantage of having a long-tenured, safe general manager is shown exactly in seasons like this. Cheveldayoff isn’t going to be feeling the hot seat, needing to make a move to save his job.
Because he won’t be trying to save his job, the Jets don’t need to make a silly move to pretend they’re still in contention, which many NHL teams do thanks to the league’s point system making standings appear closer than they are.
Chevy can sit back, see where the season ends and evaluate from there, hopefully with a high draft pick in hand. If the team gets hot and makes a run, that will be fun too.
So many teams have been destroyed by the adage, “the first job is keeping your job,” by management and coaches.
Just look at Brian Daboll with the New York Giants this season. Was it good for the franchise to call designed runs for their potential franchise quarterback in Jaxson Dart? The answer is no for the Giants but for Daboll, who was coaching his butt off to try and get every win and save his job, the answer was an obvious yes.
Cheveldayoff certainly isn’t a perfect general manger, nobody is, but the benefit of having a stable tenure is seen in seasons like this one.