Jets GM proactive ahead of Trade Deadline

The 2018 NHL Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET; Feb. 26) is less than one week away. With that in mind, NHL.com is sitting down with some of the biggest names in the game. Today, Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, who won the Stanley Cup in 2010 as assistant general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks and has watched the Jets make a big move forward this season, talks about his approach ahead of the deadline.

The Winnipeg Jets are in the hunt for first place in the Central Division and the top seed in the Western Conference this season. General manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is trying to do his best to push them over the top.
The Jets (35-16-9, 79 points), who completed a 10-game homestand with a 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday, are in second place in the Central, two points behind the first-place Nashville Predators. They are three points behind the Vegas Golden Knights for the top spot in the West.
RELATED: [2017-18 NHL Trade Tracker | Full trade coverage]
"There are a lot of outgoing phone calls in the situation we're in, more than incoming," Cheveldayoff said. "When you're in a situation like we're in, that we've earned the opportunity to look around to see if you can acquire, you maybe are a little more proactive about the outgoing calls than the incoming ones.
"That's not to say there isn't the same kind of chatter that goes on to see if there are potential deals, ones that maybe aren't necessarily deadline-driven deals."
Since becoming GM on June 8, 2011, Cheveldayoff has generally been conservative when it has come to making trades, preferring that the Jets grow and improve from within.
Winnipeg has qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs once (2015) in its first six seasons since relocating from Atlanta for the 2011-12 season. The Jets finished fifth in the Central (40-35-7, 87 points) last season, seven points back of Nashville for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. Nashville reached the Stanley Cup Final.
"It's been very interesting this season," Cheveldayoff said. "You are really only as good as your last game. We've seen that in this homestand (the Jets went 6-3-1), that when you don't win you ask yourself questions and when you do win, you enjoy it for a bit and then you move on.

"It's that type of maturity that you try to get to on a regular basis. That's why you play. That's how veterans who were once rookies learn the ropes and hope to show the younger players the same thing. It really does become 82 one-game seasons. And we've certainly worked hard to get to the point we're at, but we've really accomplished nothing. That's the attitude that prevails internally."
As the Jets inch closer to the trade deadline and locking up a spot in the playoffs, Cheveldayoff took time to discuss a variety of topics with NHL.com.

On the Jets' draft-and-develop plan

"Draft and develop are the first two words that everyone says (about us). Retain is another that we've focused on as well. If you go back over the course of time, we've constantly made decisions now about keeping players, some of which came over to the franchise with the move. We've made conscious decisions in trying to keep the core that we felt was going to be the right one to surround young players coming into our organization. We saw that as the way to help those young players achieve success and help the veteran players achieve success as well. So it's really a three-pronged approach. Drafting and developing are key components but retention is ultimately what puts you in the situation you're in today."

On defenseman Jacob Trouba's recovery from a lower-body injury sustained Jan. 25

"It's hard to give a definitive update. When it happened, it was thought to be 6-8 weeks. As far as the healing process, it's going along as anticipated. It's certainly one of those that, much like (center) Mark Scheifele progressed in that six-to-eight-week timeline, we have nothing to believe it's different from that."

On how he's approaching the Trade Deadline

"Obviously this is a deadline-driven league, so there's lots of focus and conversation and sometimes hype. When you do have a deadline, you have to assess internally and assess externally what options may or may not be out there. From our standpoint, you look for silver linings throughout the hardships or trials and tribulations you have throughout the year. We've had some silver linings, for instance when Mark Scheifele went out (for six weeks) and Blake Wheeler shifted positions and takes over as the top-line center, you saw the emergence of some young players following his leadership and growing. You take those silver linings into consideration. Our biggest deadline acquisitions may be after March 1 when we get Trouba back and hopefully (forwards) Adam Lowry and Brandon Tanev and Shawn Matthias back. And (goalies) Steve Mason and
Michael Hutchinson
, too. We have guys having success (in our lineup) right now but we have those guys waiting as additions. In approaching the deadline, you keep all options open but you are looking for the right fit."

On how he assesses when it's time to add or go all-in

"I really think you have to look at what's around you and what's available to you and then you make that assessment. Does it really make you better in an area you think can help you? You don't just throw caution to the wind to get the perceived most-talented player that's available because they'll be a free agent or for whatever reason. It really comes down to it being a good fit in order to make a move and it has to fit the chemistry of your group."

On comparing this year to making the playoffs in 2015, when he traded for Jiri Tlusty and Lee Stempniak prior to the deadline

"At that time, we made some assessments that we needed to add some players to fill in our bottom six, our fourth line, to allow (coach) Paul (Maurice) to play four lines. I think if we did nothing from an acquisition standpoint at this point in time, I think we have a much greater depth within our organization. If you ultimately want to win the prize, you might need more depth because I'm not sure you ever have enough depth so those are things you assess. When the roster is healthy, we have tremendous confidence in it. The emergence of some of our younger players has been gratifying when a guy like Scheifele or (Dustin) Byfuglien or Trouba or Lowry has been injured."