We are less than a month away from Winnipeg Jets hockey. Compared to the summer of 2023, this summer has been quiet from Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff. Will another summer of (mostly) running it back lead to him getting another contract with the Jets?

Cheveldayoff is in the final year of his four-year contract. He managed to trade away two problem players, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Rutger McGroarty, and early on it looks like he has won both of those trades. He has had great returns with draft picks, including Jets hopeful Brad Lambert, who had a solid season as a 20-year-old with the Manitoba Moose last year, scoring 21 goals and 55 points in 65 games with the Jets’ AHL team.

Even though the trades for Sean Monahan and Tyler Toffoli didn’t work out in the long run, Cheveldayoff did swing for the fences, hoping they would be the keys to playoff success. Hindsight is 20/20; if the Jets had known that Toffoli’s scoring would dry up in the postseason, they might not have traded for him. But on paper, a Stanley Cup winner who has scored big goals in the playoffs seemed like a great trade.

The lack of playoff success is evident in Cheveldayoff’s tenure, but he is putting together a solid regular-season team that will have its moment in the sun sooner rather than later. Overall, Cheveldayoff’s actions in the past have led the team to regular-season success with players that Jets fans love.

To start the season, the Jets’ forward group will more or less be the same as it was at the start of the 2023-24 season, with the exception of Brad Lambert, who will most likely join the forward group. Hopefully, the development of Lambert will address the Jets’ second-line center problem. If not, Vladislav Namestnikov will be the Jets’ second-line center to start the season.

If the Jets need some extra support in the top six, we know an injury or two will likely clear up some cap space for the team heading into the trade deadline. The Jets will be able to make a trade to bolster their offense and hopefully move the needle for the club to get past five playoff games.

The Jets’ bottom six will again look much the same as it did last season and has probably taken a step forward as they have had nearly a full season to gel together. Scott Arniel could play with the lines, but who is going to break up Nino Niederreiter, Adam Lowry, and Mason Appleton?

I am both excited and worried about the Jets’ defense. You still have that outstanding top pair of Josh Morrissey and Dylan DeMelo. All the hard work that Dylan Samberg put in has paid off, as he will be a top-six defender, alongside Neal Pionk. Finally, Collin Miller and a rotation of Logan Stanley and Ville Heinola will round out the defense.

I’m not thrilled about Pionk and Samberg, but there is always a chance the Jets’ coaches will change up their pairings. I wonder if DeMelo and Morrissey could be broken up and Pionk put on the top pair to mitigate the damage Pionk’s chaotic play might cause.

If that happens, DeMelo could play with Heinola or Stanley and be a leader for those two, which would leave Miller and Samberg together. That pairing could be fun to watch if Samberg can manage it and set Miller up for some big plays.

This group of defenders is a mixed bag with lots of questions. They will be key to the Jets’ success this season.

The one area where the Jets took a step back was with their backup goaltender. Kaapo Kahkonen had a rough season last year with the New Jersey Devils and the San Jose Sharks, with a 3.64 goals-against average and an .898 save percentage.

He can turn it around, but what happens if Hellebuyck is injured for an extended period? Are we comfortable with Eric Comrie and Kahkonen as the Jets’ goalies? I’m not entirely comfortable with that idea.

The backup goaltenders could be the difference between a wildcard playoff spot and being a top-three team in the division.

I think there’s a good chance the Jets will make the postseason. I don’t think Cheveldayoff will sit on his hands; he will make moves this season to address whatever the Jets’ needs are. As long as they make it to the postseason, I could see North Truth offering Cheveldayoff a new contract. The real question is whether he will sign another contract to stay in Winnipeg and continue as general manager in one of the hardest cities to recruit players.