When the Winnipeg Jets announced that longtime NHL star center Jonathan Toews would be returning to hockey’s top league playing for his hometown Jets, you couldn’t have asked for a better human-interest story.
Toews had been out of the NHL for the past two seasons, dealing with a host of health issues. But agreeing to a one-year contract with Winnipeg could allow the 37-year-old Toews to push the Jets far deeper in the Stanley Cup playoffs – and maybe, just maybe, win a championship at the sport’s highest level.
All that is the best possible outcome for Toews and the Jets. But the question has to be asked – what if things don’t turn out as planned for the three-time Cup-winner? What if Toews can’t get back to speed and he can’t fulfill the duties associated with a second-line center?
Well, for one thing, Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has hedged his bet on Toews, giving him a performance-bonus deal that has a $2-million salary cap hit with bonuses that could boost the cap hit to $7 million if Winnipeg wins next year’s Cup. Winnipeg will happily pay that money to Toews if everything goes right, but let’s be pessimistic for a moment and assume that Toews’ comeback attempt falls short. What can the Jets do to stay in Cup contention in a world without Toews playing well for them?
In that regard, here’s what is clear thus far: Cheveldayoff has managed his cap situation very well, as the Jets currently have $19.89 million in cap space. Winnipeg may spend some of that money on an upgrade for the Jets’ group of forwards. But even if Winnipeg uses some of that cap space, Cheveldayoff has given himself insurance of sorts to deal with what could turn out to be a hole in the team’s second-line center spot.
For instance, let’s say that the Anaheim Ducks don’t perform very well out of the gate next year. There might be a circumstance in which newly signed Ducks center Mikael Granlund wants to play for a Cup contender. And while Granlund now has a full no-trade clause in his new deal with Anaheim, playing on a Jets team that was the top regular-season team in the league last season could appeal to Granlund. And Granlund’s $7-million per-season contract, which runs for next season and an additional two years, could easily fit under Winnipeg’s current salary structure.
On the other hand, Toews’ situation could pan out very well – and if that’s what turns out to be the case, Cheveldayoff will be able to use his remaining cap space on high-end wingers to give the Jets incredible depth throughout their lineup. But that money doesn’t necessarily have to be spent anytime soon. And being careful with Toews means that there needs to be a Plan B if things don’t work out as hoped with the longtime Chicago Blackhawks superstar.
Every talented NHL executive always has to plot out different scenarios as it pertains to their team’s potential for success. And that’s what we’re seeing from Cheveldayoff in regard to Toews. The investment Winnipeg has made in Toews could be one of the final pieces of a championship puzzle for the Jets, but if it doesn’t, thanks to his expert cap management, Cheveldayoff will have other solid options to get the job done.
Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.