Kevin Cheveldayoff probably isn't feeling too festive these days.

The arrival of the NHL holiday break sees his Winnipeg Jets, losers of a 4-1 decision to the Calgary Flames Tuesday night, stagnating at a 15-17-2 record. The club is eight points out of a playoff spot and will spend Christmas in last place in the Central Division.

How did a team seemingly on the upswing after last season's turnaround in both style of play and belief end up in a fight to stay relevant in the Western Conference playoff picture in late December?

Winnipeg Jets goalie Michael Hutchinson lets in a Calgary Flames' goal during the first period of Tuesday's game. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press) The easy answer: the Jets special teams have been a disaster and the goaltending hasn't been where it needs to be. There's no forward depth beyond the Top 6 (which six forwards are in this group is up for debate) and the club can't find a No. 5 or a No. 6 defenceman in its stable of seven and eights currently cashing cheques on the NHL roster.

What is interesting about this latest Jets chapter is how it's being received by the masses this time around. People are unhappy. The phone lines are jammed. Twitter is a battleground. Questions regarding the direction of the club are being asked and preseason concerns about the long-term vision are earning validation.

What is the plan?

Is there a plan?

Those are popular questions these days.

The increase in unrest falls directly on the desk of Cheveldayoff, who not only badly misjudged the current development of a few of his celebrated prospects but failed to understand the complications associated with the contract uncertainty of two veteran culture carriers in the room.

Go back to earlier this month, when Adam Lowry was sent down to the Manitoba Moose.

Lowry was counted among the Jets young guns, a model of the organization's ability to draft well and develop the right way. His demotion after two relatively successful pro seasons (he spent the 2013-14 season in the AHL) isn't just about giving him a chance to get his game right—which is very true—it's also an example of how precarious success is when put on the sticks of young players.

Nic Petan wasn't close to being ready.

Nikolaj Ehlers is caught in no man's land: he's too good for the Quebec junior league but ineligible for the American league, so the clock starts on his entry level contract in Winnipeg.

Ehlers has one goal in the last 25 games. He's going to be a player down the road but any projection of him chipping in some consistent secondary scoring for a club that desperately needs it was optimistic at best.

Andrew Copp been fine on the fourth line but if that's the ceiling on him, can it be counted as a success for a young prospect? That's certainly open to interpretation.

Be very clear about this: any statement from the various messengers suggesting this level of fall-off was always part of a grand plan is pure fiction — unless you believe taking a step back and choosing to not capitalize on the momentum from the one and only playoff appearance is a good idea.

If this is the case, then have yourself a very Merry Christmas. Your favourite team is infallible.

It appears Cheveldayoff has decided to take his medicine and look ahead to next season, as it's hard to imagine any moves made to shore up the depth of a sub-.500 team miles out of a playoff spot.

So if that's the new direction then what are Andrew Ladd and Dustin Byfuglien, two veteran leaders scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next summer, still doing on the roster?

It's been established that Winnipeg will not be a major player in unrestricted free agency, so keeping the cupboards full by flipping high-level players on expiring contracts for prospects and draft picks is essential for competitive survival.

The value of both players was highest before the season. If they weren't going to be re-upped back in the summer (or last season), they should have been moved.

Forget about the impact their uncertain future has had in the room — this is about Cheveldayoff capitalizing on what he can control.

Letting either walk for nothing? That's not just a miscalculation or a failure to anticipate the tough decisions before they become tough decisions. No, it would be borderline negligence.

Maybe the Jets GM can pull a rabbit out of his hat and find salvageable deals before the trade deadline passes, or maybe he can re-sign both to team-friendly pacts and hope they can maintain a high-level of play.

This forecast involves crossing multiple fingers and hoping for the best — which is kind of what Cheveldayoff's plan figured to be heading into this season.