WINNIPEG - The decisions a National Hockey League general manager has to make are often difficult. At the trade deadline, the microscope on those decisions is as big as ever.
So by the time that 2 pm CT deadline had passed, Kevin Cheveldayoff had made six trades involving nine players and seven draft picks.
Among those transactions was the return of a familiar face, and the departure of another.
Mason Appleton, who the Jets lost in the Expansion Draft to the Seattle Kraken, is returning to Winnipeg in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Andrew Copp, who had three assists in Sunday's win over the Chicago Blackhawks, is heading to the New York Rangers.
The ability to get Appleton was a prerequisite for making the Copp trade.
"Our roster is different but the core is the still the core. I certainly believe in those guys," said Cheveldayoff. "We tried several times throughout the course of the year to acquire Mason. He's excited to get back here and to get back into a spot that he knows he flourished in."
Cheveldayoff reflects on busy trade deadline
Appleton's return, Sanford's arrival, Copp's departure, and much more.