As the snow swirled in Winnipeg and temperatures plunged during the Jets bye week, Kevin Cheveldayoff and his management team met in a warmer locale to prepare for the NHL trade deadline on Feb. 25.



The bye-week gathering of the brain trust will likely have far-reaching consequences. We’ve discussed Winnipeg’s cap situation at length — the Jets exit All-Star weekend in fourth overall and carry enough cap space to make a meaningful addition. It’s a fortunate position for any team to be in and, given pay raises scheduled for Blake Wheeler, Patrik Laine, and Kyle Connor, this may be the last time Winnipeg is in that position for many years to come.



It was also a meeting I suspect Jets management were extremely well-prepared for.



Winnipeg has demonstrated situational awareness as an organization throughout its two-season rise to league prominence — first, by acquiring Paul Stastny from St. Louis last season and again by juggling...