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Money & Power: Winnipeg Jets - Jan. 2 2025 - Vol. 78, Issue 06 - Jared Clinton

OWNERSHIP - MARK CHIPMAN

MARK CHIPMAN ISN’T averse to small talk. So, if you meet him, it’s not beyond Chipman to ask where you’re from. And if you tell him Winnipeg? Well, Chipman will want to know your neighborhood, local rink and your minor hockey team. It’s not a facade. Chipman loves the game down to its roots and takes pride in the sport and its impact on the community.

Born and bred in the ‘Heart of the Continent,’ as songsmith John K. Samson once called Winnipeg, Chipman has been part of the city’s hockey scene since long before the Jets 2.0 came. He was among a group of business leaders who tried valiantly to keep the original Jets from heading to Phoenix. Later, Chipman spearheaded the charge to bring the then-IHL’s Minnesota Moose to town. And it was with Chipman’s blueprints that True North paved the way for the NHL’s return to Manitoba. The construction of a downtown arena set the stage, and when the chance arose, Chipman – who struck up an alliance with media magnate David Thomson, the chairman of Thomson Reuters and one of the world’s wealthiest people – was able to snap up the Atlanta Thrashers and bring them north.

It would’ve been easy for the organization to rest on its laurels after the Jets returned to Winnipeg, but Chipman’s vision has expanded well beyond the confines of Canada Life Centre. Community work has been a fixture of True North, dating back to the Manitoba Moose Yearling Foundation, now called the True North Youth Foundation, which runs summer camps, hockey schools and youth-facing programming. Among its core offerings is Project 11, which promotes mental health and wellness education and is named after late NHLer Rick Rypien.

Chipman and Co. are also giving Winnipeg’s downtown a facelift. The arena remains the nucleus, but the nearby True North Square has reshaped the skyline with its four towers of residential, office and retail spaces, with a hotel still to come. True North’s real-estate arm also reached a deal to buy downtown shopping center Portage Place with the intention of converting it into a multi-use facility that will include a 265,000-square-foot healthcare center. As part of the redevelopment, True North partnered with the Southern Chiefs’ Organization to establish a residential tower with as much as 40 percent of rental units dedicated to affordable housing.

More Winnipeg Jets: Jets Confident in Power Play, But Penalty Kill Faces Questions After Off-Season Departures

TOP BUSINESS EXECUTIVE - JOHN OLFERT

NAMED PRESIDENT AND CHIEF operating officer of True North Sports and Entertainment in 2019, John Olfert has been with the organization since before its NHL days. Olfert was among those who helped lay the foundation to make True North’s dreams become reality, as he was integral to the development and opening of the then-MTS Centre, which was (and is again) the downtown home of the AHL’s Manitoba Moose before the NHL came back to town. So it’s only fitting he serves as one of the Jets’ alternates on the NHL’s board of governors.

Though Olfert’s responsibilities are wide-ranging, his work in aiding the expansion of True North’s portfolio has seen the company grow from a hockey-centric business to one with roots throughout downtown. That’s a common thread for Olfert, who is a fixture in the community. He serves on the True North Youth Foundation’s board and has a history of working with charitable and not-for-profit outfits in Winnipeg.

GOVERNOR & ALTERNATE GOVERNORS

MARK CHIPMAN

ALTERNATE GOVERNORS: Kevin Cheveldayoff, John Olfert, Patrick Phillips

TOP HOCKEY EXECUTIVE - KEVIN CHEVELDAYOFF

IT’S NO SECRET THAT Winnipeg doesn’t quite hold the same allure as the Sunbelt cities or major markets – the Torontos, New Yorks and Bostons – as a UFA destination. However, that hasn’t been a problem for Kevin Cheveldayoff, who has established himself as one of the NHL’s best front-office dealers and pitchmen. Over the past several seasons, Cheveldayoff has repeatedly found ways to keep top talents, most recently Mark Scheifele and Connor Hellebuyck, and rare is the trade in which the Jets come out on the losing end.

Though Winnipeg’s strategy with young players has been called into question, it should come as no surprise that the team’s brass, led by Cheveldayoff, values the experience that players gain playing in the AHL before making the big club. Cheveldayoff, a two-time Calder Cup-winning GM, cut his teeth in the AHL and spent a dozen seasons with the Chicago Wolves. He knows it’s a great breeding ground, and that 11 current Jets have come up through the farm system before arriving in the NHL is proof positive the methodology is working.

More Winnipeg Jets: Jets Disrespected in NHL'S 2025-26 National Television Schedule

INSIDE THE ARENA

WHEN IT OPENED in November 2004, the Canada Life Centre shifted Winnipeg’s home for pro hockey right into the downtown core – and it has since become the hub of much of the city’s entertainment. Built on the site of the once-iconic Eaton’s store, the arena contains odes to the building’s history, the most notable of which is the statue of Timothy Eaton in the concourse area. Since its opening, however, the arena has developed its own history. It first housed the AHL’s Manitoba Moose, then later welcomed a series of NHL exhibition games, pre-tournament World Junior Championship games, the Brier (the Canadian men’s curling championship) and it became the go-to venue for touring musical acts.

Though the facade remains largely identical save a couple of changes to the sign out front – the arena was previously known as MTS Centre and Bell MTS Place – the interior has changed as the team has graduated from AHL standout to NHL newcomer and now major-league mainstay. The capacity remains the lowest of the league’s buildings at 15,321, though it’s an upgrade from when the Jets arrived in the NHL. Through tweaking the layout and reinvesting in additions such as loge seating, True North has managed to pack more bodies in the building. And the tight confines create one of the game’s most raucous atmospheres. A rowdy playoff game in Winnipeg, for instance, should be included as a bucket-list item for any hockey fan.

For those who’ve been around the building over the years, the upgrades are significant, from an updated scoreboard and sound system down to a complete reimagining of the fan offerings, with a particular focus on local vendors. Atmosphere has also been a focus recently, and the introduction of a house band – who play during intermissions – is one way the Jets have attempted to create and maintain the energy from pre-game through to the final whistle.

BIG 10 TEAM SPONSORS

(*listed alphabetically)

NHL VALUATIONS

$1.05B FORBES

$1.02B SPORTICO

$1.3B ROUSTAN

One of the feel-good stories of training camp last season was Ottawa Senators centre Adam Gaudette. Gaudette came to Ottawa last summer on a one-year, two-way contract, to battle for one of the final forward positions on the NHL roster. No one ruled him out, but he certainly wasn't a shoo-in either.

Gaudette already had some previous NHL experience, but his stock was low, and part of the reason he signed in Ottawa was because Travis Green was here. He had played for him when Green was head coach of the Vancouver Canucks, and it felt like he had Green’s trust. That trust probably went a long way toward Gaudette signing here and cracking the lineup. And he played so well in Ottawa last season, he earned a two-year deal with the San Jose Sharks.

Now, a similar story has a chance to play out in Ottawa this fall.

Winger Arthur Kaliyev also signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Senators earlier this summer. Like Gaudette, his stock is low, despite having plenty of NHL experience, and both men came here knowing they could lean on the trust they had built in the past with a key member of the Senators’ hockey operations staff.

Kaliyev played for the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL when Senators GM Steve Staios was the Bulldogs’ general manager. On the Coming In Hot podcast this week, Staios spoke about what Kaliyev can bring to the Senators and why the club decided to take a chance on him.

“Well, (I have) a long history with Artie," Staios said. "He was an exceptional shooter and goal scorer at the junior level. And we still feel like he has qualities that can translate (to the NHL). His game started to develop in LA on the defensive side of things. Obviously, like all players coming out of junior, when you have a knack for scoring and that's how you help your team, you focus on that.

"I think he's been able to round out his game on the defensive side with his time in LA and under Todd McLellan. And then, you watch the transition to New York and then injuries last year. And I think it was an opportunity for us to get a player again with some upside and a unique skillset."

Kaliyev was drafted in 2019 in the second round, and a lot of Senators fans were upset the club took Shane Pinto and not Kaliyev, who went one pick later to LA. History now shows the Sens made a great pick with Pinto, while Kaliyev had a general failure to launch as "King Arthur," thanks to issues like below-average skating and lack of intensity without the puck.

What no one can argue with is the quality of Kaliyev's shot – it's hard, quick, and deadly accurate, even by NHL standards. In Hamilton, under Staios, Kaliyev had an astonishing 95 goals in 124 OHL games over two seasons. He just turned 24 in June, so Staios is hoping he's identified another familiar buy-low candidate who can help the team, and maybe even grow with it.

And Staios thinks that Kaliyev is more than a shooter.

"His playmaking is a little bit underrated as well," Staios said. "Like, his shot is so good. So that's sort of what people would talk about first, but he also has some ability to make plays as well. I think he's a motivated young man. He wants to play in the National Hockey League and be a regular in the National Hockey League."

Thanks to his connections with key personnel, Kaliyev will have a longer leash in Ottawa than he would have had anywhere else, just like Adam Gaudette. It's another chance to see if a skilled player they know and like can turn the NHL corner and become a consistent contributor.

By Steve Warne
This article was first published at THN.com/Ottawa

Read more Sens articles from The Hockey News-Ottawa:
Our One-On-One With Drake Batherson
Staios: 'We’re Not Dismissing That Carter Yakemchuk Makes Our Team Out of Camp'
Senators' NHL Dream Began Over Pints in the Dressing Room
Former Ottawa Senator Travis Hamonic Signs With Atlantic Division Rival

The Buffalo Sabres have been considered to have one of the deepest prospect pools in the NHL, which is in part due to them selecting high in recent drafts because of their not qualifying for the playoffs. The Sabres have displayed an eye for talent, but the organization’s developmental model has not yielded enough results. 

Leading up to the opening of training camp in mid-September, we will look at the club's top 40 prospects. All are 25 years old or younger, whose rights are currently held by the Sabres or are on AHL or NHL deals, and have played less than 40 NHL games. 

Other Sabres Stories

Projecting Sabres Trade Cost - Lawson Crouse 

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

#14 - Prokhor Poltapov - Left Wing (CSKA Moscow - KHL)

The Sabres went heavy on Russians in the 2021 NHL Draft, and the first one selected was winger Prokhor Poltapov with the first pick in the second round. The St. Petersburg native scored 25 goals at the junior level and seven points for Russia at the IIHF World Junior under-18s in 2021.

Similar to third-rounder Stiven Sardarian in the same draft, Poltapov is a product of the CSKA Moscow system but opted to stay in Russia while Sardarian headed to North America to play in the NCAA. In 2022, he split time almost equally between the junior MHL, the second pro-level VHL and the KHL. 

In 2023, he played nearly all of his games in the KHL and posted just 10 points (5 goals, 5 assists) in 56 games in a depth role. There was little offensive growth or an increased role in 2024, resulting in 13 points (5 goals, 8 assists) in 56 games, but the 22-year-old had a breakout campaign last season, posting 40 points (17 goals, 23 assists) in 68 games

The Sabres may now have more interest in bringing Poltapov to North America after his offensive performance in 2025, but his signing a two-year contract extension with CSKA may make that prospect more complicated. 

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

It is safe to say that Montreal Canadiens prospect Florian Xhekaj had a successful first full season at the AHL level with the Laval Rocket. In 69 games with the AHL squad, the 6-foot-4 winger recorded 24 goals, 35 points, and a whopping 175 penalty minutes. He also set a new Laval single-season rookie record with his 24 goals. 

Overall, Xhekaj certainly showed off his offensive upside and toughness during his first full year with Laval. With this, he undoubtedly has created more excitement surrounding him. 

Given Xhekaj's size and scoring ability, it is fair to wonder if the 21-year-old forward could earn a look on the Canadiens' NHL roster in 2025-26. When looking at the Canadiens' current bottom six, there are spots to fight for. Thus, if he stands out at training camp, he certainly could get a chance on Montreal's roster to start the season.

No matter what happens on that front, it is hard not to feel excitement about Xhekaj's future with the Habs. The potential for him to become a solid part of their forward group in the near future is there, and it will be intriguing to see if he gets into his first NHL regular-season action in 2025-26 from here.