from Ken Wiebe of Sportsnet,
If past behaviour truly is the best predictor of future behaviour, you can expect Winnipeg Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff to remain patient in the coming weeks — and possibly months.
With Jets training camp just a few weeks away, what we know is that Cheveldayoff wasn’t bluffing back in July when he said he was comfortable with goalie Connor Hellebuyck and top-line centre Mark Scheifele going into this season on expiring contracts.
Just over two months later, both Hellebuyck and Scheifele remain in the fold and are set to roll into town to prepare for the new season.
Of course, the topic of conversation in the first media availabilities will revolve around the future of those players, and you can expect to see the art of deflection fully on display.
There’s a good reason for that.
This is uncharted territory for Hellebuyck and Scheifele as much as it is for the organization, and there could still easily be a couple of twists and turns before there is a resolution.
You can expect both players are going to do what they can to try to put the focus on the present rather than engage in a discussion about the potential outcomes — and that’s a wise strategy.