With the Winnipeg Jets 2014-15 campaign mere hours from getting underway, this season could turnout to be the one in which Kevin Cheveldayoff will need to get off his hands and make an actual decision when it comes to the Jets present day roster.

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Edmonton - October 9, 2014 - This week the Winnipeg Jets decided to trade Eric Tangradi to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for netminder Peter Budaj and forward Patrick Holland. In practical terms, this is clearly not a big deal but from a symbolic perspective, it may have signaled that things may be starting to change in the Peg.

Last spring a coaching change buoyed the Jets to make a late season surge for the playoffs but unfortunately the injury bug came calling and when key players went down, the playoff push began to falter. There was a brief opportunity to salvage the run by trading draft picks for immediate help, but the organization chose to stand pat. The outcome was rather predictable and their playoff hopes rapidly dwindled…resulting in a rather disappointing finish for the third consecutive season.

Publicly general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff cited the market demand for help was simply too high of a price to pay and that the long term vision and patience remained the priority. But quietly, the chants for results from a fan base that had previously been happy to once again be a part of the National Hockey League, had suddenly started to makes waves about results.

Fast forward to this season, highly touted rookie Michael Hutchinson began to falter in the pre-season and with Ondrej Pavelec coming off a weak season, Chevy moved quickly to shore up the position by trading for Budaj. While he did not give up a lot in doing so, the fact he acted as quickly he did to address the need was something that has rarely if ever occurred during his tenure.

So as Winnipeg enters the 2014-15 campaign, I would "peg" (no pun intended) them to finish with 85 points and basically finish where they have since returning to the NHL. Now if they were still in the Eastern Conference they would likely be pushing the 90 point mark and challenging for a playoff spot but they are in uber competitive Central Division out west…where all their competitors have improved.

As of this moment, they appear to be destined for another year of mediocrity and nothing will change unless the fans continue to turn up the Bunsen burner and put pressure on the organization and, in my mind that starts with making a decision on what to do with Evander Kane.

There is no doubt Kane is an exceptional talent but he has hinted on many an occasion that he does not want to be in Winnipeg. He has brought it up during interviews, he publicly lamented having to leave Atlanta, and there is little doubt that at some point, his agent and Jets management have explored a possible change scenery. Kane is under contract and at least in theory Cheveldayoff still holds the hammer. However if his play dips like it did during the 2013-14 campaign, Kane is not the sort of player who will help this team win games in a different ways.

His contributions begin and end with his ability to put the puck in the back of the net and if Kane remains unhappy with his predicament, there is a very good chance he will walk at the conclusion of his current deal, albeit in four years’ time. But in my mind Kane will have a banner season, with one goal in mind...getting out of town.

I am quite confident the kid will bounce back with a 30 goal, 70 point season and provide a dollop of physicality to go with it. With that said, what happens if Kane has a career year and does not get what he wants? I would say, the pout session would begin almost immediately and it will likely result with the Jets being saddled with a diminishing asset and possibly losing the player for next to nothing. So now is the time where Cheveldayoff will have to deal with what will arguably be his greatest challenge.

He won’t be able to sit back and watch prospects develop, he will be faced with the pressure that typically comes with playing in a Canadian market. If this situation comes to fruition it could provide a worthwhile opportunity and there would be more than a few teams interested in acquiring the young power forward. Which teams you ask?

Could Evgeni Malkin be pried out of Pittsburgh in some sort of package deal? They always seem to be crying for help on the wing. How about the Los Angeles Kings? Maybe Ryan Johansen could be made available by the Columbus Blue Jackets. None of these options would be considered as impossibilities if Kane were to return to his previous form.

However, if no decisive action is taken, it could prove to be rather damaging to the organization moving forward. Bad attitudes are as contagious as good ones and having a sulking Evander Kane around would not be good for the team…be it now or in the future.