Kevin Cheveldayoff understands the frustration of Winnipeg Jets fans.
The general manager is also frustrated watching the Jets go from Presidents' Trophy winners to the bottom of the NHL standings this season.
Unless the Jets can turn it around, they're in jeopardy of becoming the fifth team in history to go from having the best record in the League to missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs the following season, joining the New York Rangers (1992-93 and 2024-25), Boston Bruins (2014-15) and Buffalo Sabres (2007-08).
"Certainly, fans in our market are very, very passionate, and that is some we care deeply about," Cheveldayoff said on Monday. "Again, this isn't something you plan out, and obviously sports are unpredictable. That's the nature of the game here now.
"I think if you look at the situation here, again over the course of time, certainly we've had a lot of success. This is a results-orientated business, and you live in the moment right now. And again, just going through the last couple of games, it's a frustrating thing."
The Jets (15-21-4), who have lost nine in a row (0-6-3), are last in the NHL standings, nine points behind the Los Angeles Kings for the second wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. They will begin a five-game homestand against the Vegas Golden Knights at Canada Life Centre on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET; TSN3, SCRIPPS).
"We're at the halfway point and your record is your record, and all you can do is control what's in front of you," Cheveldayoff said. "Adversity is part of this game, it's part of life. The art in it is how you handle it, and I think that's the thing. You can choose any different direction, but when I woke up this morning, for me the choice is put your head down and find a way to keep pushing this team to get better."
The Jets were hoping to have similar success this season after they were eliminated by the Dallas Stars in six games in the Western Conference Second Round last season. But after starting 9-3-0, they have gone just 6-18-4.
"Certainly, you go into the season and you have very high expectations," Cheveldayoff said. "I think every team that goes in feels they have that opportunity to spread their wings and try to compete for a Stanley Cup. We've said it all along, first and foremost, your first job is to find a way to get into the playoffs, and that comes with the ability to go through a season and earn your way to that.
"To this point, obviously, it's been very disappointing. I think to a man, top to bottom, it starts with me. I think everyone would feel like there's a level of responsibility here that we need to find a way to be better."
Playing without injured goalie Connor Hellebuyck for 12 games from Nov. 18-Dec. 11 didn't help. The reigning Hart Trophy winner as the NHL's most valuable player and the two-time reigning winner of the Vezina Trophy as the League's top goalie, had a minor knee procedure, which left the goaltending duties to Eric Comrie and Thomas Milic.
Winnipeg went 3-8-1 without Hellebuyck, who is 1-5-3 with a 2.69 goals-against average and .888 save percentage since returning. He was named to Team USA's roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 last week.
"If you look at all the different things, it's a tough league to win in," Cheveldayoff said. "And certainly the situation that we're in, be it one-goal games, be it not maybe playing to the defensive structure that has become our signature for the last couple of years, all of a sudden you find yourself in this predicament."
Cheveldayoff said he is looking at options to improve the roster, whether it's internally by calling a player up from Manitoba of the American Hockey League or through a trade.
"If you look around the League, there's lots of teams that are fighting for their lives right now," he said. "There are teams that are below the [playoff] line that, like ourselves, felt they should be above the line. There's lots of those kinds of things that are ongoing. At this point in time of the season, most teams, including ourselves, you're having organizational meetings."
A coaching change at this point seems unlikely. Scott Arniel is in his second season after replacing the retired Rick Bowness, and in his first season he guided the Jets to the best regular-season record in franchise history (56-22-4).
"Scott and his coaching staff are working extremely hard, there's no if, ands or buts about that," Cheveldayoff said. "I think there's a frustration level with them as well."
The Jets have 16 games, 10 at home, before the Olympic break from Feb. 5-24.
"From a coaching perspective, they're trying to do everything that they can," Cheveldayoff said. "From a management perspective, we have to look at different avenues at some point in time here to see if there is something available. But again, it's not an ideal situation and I know they feel the same disappointment that I do."
NHL.com independent correspondent Darrin Bauming contributed to this report
