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    Julian Gaudio
    Julian Gaudio
    May 23, 2025, 16:53
    Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff announces Nikolaj Ehlers (not pictured) as the number nine overall pick to the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the 2014 NHL Draft at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

    Winnipeg Jets' Kevin Cheveldayoff has been named a finalist for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. It's the second time the 55-year-old has been a finalist for this award, previously doing so in the 2017-18 season.

    Cheveldayoff was the catalyst for a lot of the Jets' success this season, acquiring Brandon Tanev and Luke Schenn at the deadline, as well as hiring Scott Arniel to be the head coach. 

    The Jets had their best regular season in franchise history, winning the Presidents' Trophy as the team with the most points in the NHL. Cheveldayoff has served as the Jets' General Manager and Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations since 2011, reaching the conference finals once in his career and earning a playoff spot eight times. 

    Here's what the NHL press release had to say about Cheveldayoff.

    "Under Cheveldayoff the Jets enjoyed the best regular season in franchise history (56-22-4, 116 points), capturing the Presidents’ Trophy for the first time. His first offseason move to the club that finished fourth in the NHL overall standings in 2023-24 was the hiring of head coach Scott Arniel, who became the first bench boss in League history to win his first eight games with a club. The Jets became the first team in NHL history to win 15 of its first 16 contests of a season and completed the season allowing the fewest goals in the NHL, with Arniel voted a finalist for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s top coach. To a successful core led by captain/C Adam Lowry, C Mark Scheifele, LW Kyle Connor, LW Nikolaj Ehlers, D Josh Morrissey and G Connor Hellebuyck – Cheveldayoff draft picks all – the Winnipeg GM added LW Brandon Tanev and D Luke Schenn at the trade deadline. Cheveldayoff is a Jim Gregory finalist for the second time after a second-place finish in 2017-18."

    Finishing as finalists next to Cheveldayoff were Florida Panthers' Bill Zito and Dallas Stars' Jim Nill. Both general managers have their teams in the conference finals, with early series leads. Nill has won this award twice, winning it consecutively in back-to-back seasons. 

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    Jets Head Coach Scott Arniel Named Jack Adams Finalist Jets Head Coach Scott Arniel Named Jack Adams Finalist Winnipeg Jets head coach Scott Arniel has been named one of the three finalists for the Jack Adams Award, given to the "coach adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success."