Draft and development may not just be a roster strategy for TNSE.
Before we get back to reviewing and ranking the offers for Evander Kane there seems to be a bit of a question brewing about the Jets and management…again.
Right now Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff is in a dance with Evander Kane, almost like two fighters who are sizing each other up to determine who throws the first punch. The question that keeps coming up in many circles is how has this situation been allowed to evolve into this kind of scenario? Would a more experienced GM or management team have been able to douse this fire sooner?
The second question above is the departure point to taking a look at the Winnipeg Jets
organizational structure.
Owner (Mark Chipman)
Exec Vice President and GM (Kevin Cheveldayoff)
Exec VP and COO (John Olfert)
President True North Development (Jim Ludlow)
Senior VP & Director of Hockey Ops/ Asst GM (Craig Heisinger)
The list goes on, and if you want to click on that link you can see the bios of each person.
If you care to click
HERE you can see the hockey operations under the True North Sports and Entertainment umbrella, notice anything different? Me either.
What the concern is for a growing number of Jets fans is this: who is Chevy accountable to in his decisions?
It’s easy to say, ‘hellooooooo, Tessier it’s Mark Chipman’. I would respond with the simple question of this- what does his hockey resume like?
He is the owner, he is the person who has put together the money and relationships to buy and bring an NHL franchise to Winnipeg. Certainly this is no small feat but does it immediately qualify him to have the person in charge of all hockey operations and decisions answer to him?
Organizational structure is a very complex and delicate balance of skill, experience, personality and vision all placed in a relative form of hierarchy as desired by specific organizations. A good management team is one that evolves, challenges and has a diversity of experience. This prevents ‘group think’, one of them most dangerous actions that can form within a business.
Go back and look at some of the biographies of the upper management of TNSE now if you haven’t already. Is there enough diversity?
Now consider the hierarchy of the organization as it relates to the overall operation and hockey operations. Kevin Cheveldayoff is in the top tier in both and his direct superior is the owner. Mark Chipman, while a strong and astute business person, has put himself in a position where he has to oversee something he may not have the depth of experience to do- guide and operate a professional hockey franchise.
Purchasing and owning are vastly different than operating.
Take a look at the following front offices of the cup winners since 2006
2006
Carolina Hurricanes
2007
Anaheim Ducks
2008
Detroit Red Wings
2009
Pittsburgh Penguins
2010
Chicago Blackhawks
2011
Boston Bruins
2012
Los Angeles Kings
2013
Chicago Blackhawks
2014
Los Angeles Kings
What you will notice about these cup winners is they have, what some like to refer to as, ‘checks and balances’ or ‘second sets of eyes’. To put this bluntly; having other experienced hockey people around keeps everyone honest. Diversity of experience in the management of hockey operations could be seen as beneficial to the success of a franchise.
Do the Winnipeg Jets have that diversity?
At first glance the easy conclusion is ‘no, they do not’. How is Mark Chipman supposed to know when Chevy is not doing a good job, or making mistakes? Will he come to those conclusions on his own at the same time as the media and fans?
What I’m suggesting is Chevy is not incompetent or unworthy of his title and position, although many people would suggest that is becoming more of a reality but they are likely a smaller and more vocal group. What is curious is this: who makes sure he is doing what he is supposed to do? Is running TNSE and the Winnipeg Jets Mark Chipman’s full time job now as he divests himself from the operations of his various business interests. I would suggest that is not the case at all from those who I talk to that are close to him and the organization. However, what support does Chevy have aside from Zinger and the inherited assistant GM Larry Simmons who came from Atlanta when the franchise moved? Simmons may be a nice piece of continuity from Chevy’s days as GM of the Chicago Wolves, the farm team of the Thrashers, but does he bring that extra level of experience?
While there is no definitive conclusion one can make on how to build a winning and effective NHL franchise this look at the Winnipeg Jets shows they are a bit different, at least as the exist currently. That’s not to say that this group cannot deliver playoff and Stanley Cup success but there are could/should be some questions around the off-ice product just as there are the on-ice one.
The organizational structure of the Winnipeg Jets may also point to one of the reasons for the stagnant off-seasons fans have been experiencing. Aside from Zinger and Simmons, who else is there to support change and activity? Just the boss, Mark Chipman, and what is his experience?
When looking at good organizational structures those in charge or with high levels of responsibility need support as much as they need to be held accountable. It’s always difficult to do your job when your superior is looking over your shoulder but it is equally hard when you have support and collaboration.
Just as the TNSE is trying to build a winning team on the ice, one with few holes and depth it has to address that issue off the ice too. With all the talk about a supposed ‘5-year plan’ for the Jets, media and fans usually look at the roster to see if the solution has arrived. It seems interesting that the Jets franchise might have to fill a few holes in the front office so they can effectively address the ones that exist on the roster. So far the current group has been unable to extol much change on what came from Atlanta.
Just like producing a successful on-ice product there has to be more tactics than drafting and developing talent to build a complete operation. One must consider what the Jets could be doing if they added another piece of experienced front office talent, a piece that wasn’t homegrown. Much like a value free agent signing, such as the ones made by the Predators yesterday, an off-ice acquisition for the Jets could be the best low risk- high reward they could make. The added bonus is that they don’t even have to step out of their comfort zone and make a person-or-person trade to do so.
Winnipeg Jets Blogger •Winnipeg Jets Writer • 
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