Kevin Cheveldayoff’s grip on the Winnipeg Jets front office doesn’t sound like it’s loosening any time soon, even with Connor Hellebuyck’s trade request hanging over the team.
That’s the read from Sportsnet’s Sean Reynolds, who said on the “Bleed Oil Blue podcast” that the Jets general manager is not in danger of losing his job because of how this situation plays out.
“Done a good job in Winnipeg to make Winnipeg a team worth contending with. Their owner has said this to me.
I don’t believe in expiry dates. He’s been good before.
He’ll be good again. That’s the approach he takes with his general manager.
Kevin Cheveldayoff basically has a job for life if he wants it in Winnipeg."
Reynolds doubled down on that point by saying:
"It would take something extremely drastic for him to get pushed out of that chair. And while a lot of other teams are always asking if he’s on the hot seat, I don’t think this Winnipeg Jets model of car has heated seats. So it’s not.”
The backdrop here is messy for Winnipeg. Hellebuyck has full control over any potential move and can veto any destination he doesn’t want, which leaves the Jets with limited leverage and fewer real options. He made matters tougher by going public with his trade request in late August, putting even more pressure on the club with training camp nearing.
Hellebuyck’s contract only adds another layer to the problem. He is signed through 2030-31 at an $8.5 million AAV, a deal that makes him appealing to some teams but also asks any new club to take on a major long-term commitment.
Reynolds also said he thinks Hellebuyck would be open to a move to the Edmonton Oilers.
“I think he would. I think it gives him a shot at doing what he feels he needs to do to complete his legacy, and that’s have some playoff success and that’s win a Stanley Cup.”
Hellebuyck later said in a statement that he had privately requested a trade several months ago and tried to keep it quiet while giving the organization time to work through possibilities. With camp getting close, he said he chose to make it public and that moving on is the best step for him and his family.
For now, the Jets are left navigating a difficult standoff, while Reynolds’ comments suggest Cheveldayoff’s standing in Winnipeg remains unchanged no matter how the Hellebuyck situation ends.
In Other News...
Kyle Connor Keeps Giving Jets Fans Another Reason To Love Him
Kyle Connor spent part of the offseason doing what has become a familiar kind of work for him in Winnipeg, helping turn a personal cause into a community event with real reach. The third annual Team 81 Ride for Parkinsons drew 90 cyclists to Assiniboine Park and raised more than $170,000 for U-Turn Parkinsons, money that will help fund free wellness programs for Manitobans living with the disease.
What started as a small cycling trek has grown into one of those civic gatherings that feels bigger than the ride itself, and Connor has been at the center of that growth from the beginning. His ongoing efforts have now helped raise more than $400,000 for Parkinsons-related initiatives, a meaningful figure for a player whose connection to the cause runs deep and whose commitment keeps adding another layer to the way Jets fans see him. [Read more 🡒]