WINNIPEG – After wrapping up development camp with Friday morning's scrimmage at hockey for all centre, general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff met with the media to put a bow on one of the busiest stretches of the NHL offseason.
The Jets entered free agency with a clear plan, and according to Cheveldayoff, they landed the top two players on their wish list by signing goaltender Stuart Skinner to a two-year contract worth an average annual value of $3.75 million and defenceman Mario Ferraro to a three-year deal carrying a $4 million AAV.
"Yeah, it was an interesting July 1st. Obviously set out to fill a few of the boxes that we needed and had available and actually... It was a long day,” said Cheveldayoff.
“I think, obviously, Ferraro didn't fall into place until fairly late in the day. We hung in there and I'm very thankful that it worked out in our direction."
The additions of Skinner and Ferraro address two key areas for a Jets team determined to move past last season and re-establish itself among the contenders in the Central Division.
Just as important, both players said Winnipeg's reputation for taking care of its players played a significant role in their decision to sign. That's a testament to the culture the organization has built under Cheveldayoff and something he takes considerable pride in.
“We create a family atmosphere here and when we say it, we mean it. There was no other kind of scenario that was more (evident) than when the whole team went to Mark Scheifele’s dad’s funeral,” said Cheveldayoff.
“Those are things that when you’re a family, you are a family and you try to treat people with respect. The game can be frustrating at times. Obviously, everybody wants to win, and everybody is full of emotion when you don’t and that’s good. That shows that the drive to win is there. At the end of the day, as an organization, we treat everybody equally.”
Skinner arrives in Winnipeg looking for a fresh start after posting a save percentage below .900 in each of the past three seasons. One of the biggest reasons for his optimism is the opportunity to work with Jets goaltending coach Wade Flaherty, whose reputation for elevating the play of his goaltenders is among the best in the NHL.
Under Flaherty's guidance, Connor Hellebuyck has developed into one of the league's elite netminders, while veterans such as Laurent Brossoit and Eric Comrie have also enjoyed some of the best stretches of their careers in Winnipeg. Skinner hopes he'll be the next goaltender to benefit from Flaherty's proven ability to help his goalies reach another level.
"He (Flaherty) obviously has his beliefs in how things should be done, and I think he has a great relationship with them. He builds those relationships over a period of time and there's a level of trust that I think gets developed. Goaltending is a very unique position,” said Cheveldayoff.
“Even when we were talking through the draft, Drew MacIntyre (Developmental Goaltending Coach and Scout) is a big influence on that. From a scouting perspective, most of the scouts' knowledge on goalies is 'stops the puck, doesn't stop the puck' so you have to have those kinds of people within your organization that you believe and trust in."
While the busiest stretch of the offseason is now behind him, Cheveldayoff acknowledged that additional changes are still to come, and the Jets' roster could look considerably different by the time training camp opens this fall. The club will also welcome back key contributors such as Cole Perfetti, Dylan Samberg and Adam Lowry, all of whom battled significant injuries last season. Their return to full health should provide another important boost as Winnipeg prepares for the 2026-27 campaign.
“I think we're a much faster team. You look at the back end, with Ferraro there, he's a good all-around player. He can move, he can skate, he really competes. Again, he's excited about the opportunity that's here for him,” said Cheveldayoff.
“There's lots of guys that, when you talk to them even after their exit interviews and stuff like that, they had some down years and they're looking forward to trying to get back to the levels that they were at before. Whether it was injury wise or for whatever reasons, those are the things that you're looking for come September."
