The Winnipeg Jets have started to feel the tightness of the salary cap, being the reason Steve Mason was dealt to Montreal with Joel Armia in a salary dump. After I looked back on that trade, well, I think it’s fair to say it was a costly mistake.
Last year at the trade deadline we saw Kevin Cheveldayoff get really busy. Cheveldayoff has been our general manager since day one in Winnipeg and has done an outstanding job. He took a bunch of misfit veterans on a team who hadn’t won a playoff game in their entire ten plus years of existence, and basically tore them down to the studs.
Flipping players that were too old or didn’t fit, but taking his time and being patient was the key. We only have a few players from the original 2011 Jets, which really shows you how much he has changed this team, all in good ways. Unlike many other managers that make a deal with no second thought, (*cough* *Peter Chiarelli* *cough*) Kevin Cheveldayoff waits until he has the best possible deal that works for the Winnipeg Jets.
At the deadline, for the first time basically ever, Chevy made a big move. It was time to win, so he stepped up to the plate by acquiring a solid centerman in Paul Stastny. Stastny came over from St. Louis in exchange for a first round pick and prospect Erik Foley. This was one of the first deals he’s ever made which saw us shipping out prospects and picks. Stastny was a good rental, but when it came down to re-signing him we didn’t have the cap space.
We really needed Stastny, and his presence is still truly missed. Chevy had to step up, however this time he needed to make a move that would cost us a player in order to have a chance at signing Stastny.