Today in Denver Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff had a 45 minute chat with scribes Scott Billeck (Winnipeg Sun), Mike McIntyre (Winnipeg Free Press) and Ken Wiebe (The Athletic Winnipeg). We learned that Jets 2018 2nd rounder David Gustafsson, who is currently playing for Sweden at the World Junior Tournament in the Czech Republic, could actually be coming back to North America to play for the Moose when it ends as opposed to the conventional wisdom which had him returning to play in Sweden for HV71 Jonkoping.
The big topic of course was the latest regarding suspended defenceman Dustin Byfuglien. We heard on December 22nd via former GM turned tv personality Brian Burke that he was told by the Jets GM that “at no point has this relationship been adversarial or difficult or strained” between the Jets and Byfuglien. A week prior to that Mike McIntyre & Jason Bell of the Winnipeg Free Press wrote that “Byfuglien has started post-surgery rehabilitation program in consultation with the Jets”.
Which takes us to that chat the three scribes had with the Jets GM today in Denver. Ken has transcribed Cheveldayoff’s comments on Byfuglien.
Here’s the full quote from #NHLJets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff on suspended D Dustin Byfuglien pic.twitter.com/IIRg3HtkEI
— Ken Wiebe (@WiebeAthletic) December 30, 2019
And here’s the quote about whether Dustin Byfuglien would be welcomed back by #NHLJets when he’s healthy… pic.twitter.com/XbHQtEjXaR
— Ken Wiebe (@WiebeAthletic) December 30, 2019
In his first comment about the surgery there still is no timeline, at least not one that is public. About the most you get is this idea that there are “a few more phases to go” but of course there is an ambiguity as to time.
The second comment speaks for itself.