Pavy Staying Put

Whew!
Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff signed young goaltender Ondrej Pavelec to a five-year contract worth $19.5 million.
In Pavelec's own words he never wanted to leave Winnipeg even though he was offered "really good money" to play in the KHL in Russia.
“Everybody knows I had an offer from the KHL, it’s not a secret, but I always wanted to stay in Winnipeg,” Pavelec said in a conference call from the Czech Republic. “It’s a process and another side of the business, it’s never easy to make a deal but this is a really good feeling. It was easy to sign a five-year deal. You always want to stay as long as you can in a city you like. As long as I can stay in Winnipeg, it’s better for me.”

If the Jets had let Pavy go (and it seems as more is revealed about the negotiations with him, that never was a reality) they would have been screwed.  Although they do have Gustavsson (who had pretty much the same numbers as Pavelec last year-although in 20 less games played) who does have his rights owned by the Jets since Saturday and may have had to battle with Chris Mason for the starter spot since the Jets have no other NHL calibre goalies going.  They do have Peter Mannino but he may be a few years beore he's a regular in the show.  However I'm sure Mannino would have had a crack at the big time to battle against Monster and Mase for the number one spot.

Now the spotlight turns on trying to ink 30-goal scorer Evander Kane as he and up and comer Spencer Machacek were offered qualifying contracts to ensure the Jets could retain their rights and be able to match any offer from other teams. 

In other (sort of) news, although the Jets didn't offer Eric Fehr a qulifying contract due to his very poor year last season which makes him a unrestricted free agent on July 1, they may still have use for him, but at a much lesser price. 

Fehr Out with the Jets

As expected, Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff has decided  not to offer forward and Winkler native Eric Fehr an extension contract after Fehr's disasterous season in 2011-2012 wherein he only managed five points in 35 games with the Jets.

Fehr came to the Jets last summer in a trade with the Washington Capitals for ECHL winger Danick Paquette and a fouth-round pick in this years draft, in which the Caps used to select center Thomas Dipauli from United States national developmental system.

Scheifele to Play for Canada Versus Russia

Winnipeg Jets forward and 2001 first round draft pick Mark Scheifele has been selected to play in the four-game challenge series against Russia in August.

NHL Entry Draft: Day Two

In the second through seventh rounds that comprised day two of the NHL Entry Draft for the Winnipeg Jets, the team selected five more youngsters , including a potential prodigy from the famous Canadian Sutter clan in Lucas Sutter, that they hope will help build the team into a contender for Lord Stanley's mug.

Also on the afternoon, General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff obtained the rights to goaltender Jonas Gustavsson from the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for a conditional seventh round pick in the 2013 draft.  The Winnipeg Free Press's Gary Lawless sees this move as a bargaining chip in the Onjdre Pavelec contract negotiations., although Cheveldayoff denied it.  "[That's] totally separate from this," Cheveldayoff said. "We're going to sign two guys and get that done."
"This is more an opportunity to be able to talk to a UFA person before the July 1 deadline."


2012 draft picks

1 (9) Jacob Trouba, D, 18, US NDT
2 (39) Lukas Sutter, C, 18, Saskatoon (WHL)
3 (70) Scott Kosmachuk, RW, 18, Guelph (OHL)
5 (130) Connor Hellebuyck, G, 19, Odessa (NAHL)
6 (160) Scott Olsen, C, 18, Saskatoon (WHL)
7 (190) Jamie Phillips, G, 19, Toronto (OJHL)

Draft Day

For their first pick of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the Winnipeg Jets selected Jacob Touba, a six-foot-two, 196 pound bruising defenseman from Rochester, MI.
The Jets are slated to select ninth again with their first pick in the second round tomorrow.

Cheveldayoff Talking with Agents for Pavelec, Kane

Winnipeg Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff is in contract extension discussions with agents representing two key players for the Jets, Ondrej Pavalec and Evander Kane.

Pearn Returns to Jets After 16 Years

Perry Pearn, who started his NHL coaching career with the Winnipeg Jets 1.0 on former Head Coach
Terry Simpson's staff as an assistant for the Winnipeg Jets in 1995-96, has returned to Winnipeg after 16 years after being fired early last season by the Montreal Canadiens.

NHL Entry Draft: Up the Middle

Part four of what the Winnipeg Jets need at this years NHL Entry Draft in Pittsburgh.

Jets Re-Sign Slater

The Winnipeg Jets have signed GST line member Jim Slater and longest serving Atlanta Thrasher/Winnipeg Jet to a three-year $4.4 million extension

2012 NHL Entry Draft: Defensemen

Part three of what the Winnipeg Jets need in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft in Pittsburgh.

2012 NHL Entry Draft: What the Jets Have and What They Need-Part 2

The Winnipeg Free Press's Ed Tait continues this week's series of the Jets and the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

2012 NHL Entry Draft: What the Jets Have and What They Need-Part 1

The NHL Entry Draft is right around the corner and the Winnipeg Free Press disects what the Jets need in comaprison to what they have in terms of needed positional players on June 22 and 23.