As far as I am concerned it's the perfect time to begin criticizing if this team doesn't begin taking steps forward, be it Noel, Cheveldayoff, etc. The onus is now on the Winnipeg Jets, and nobody but.
About a month ago I touched on it, but there are no more excuses as far as I am concerned. This isn't "Atlanta's team" anymore, this isn't "Don Waddell's mistakes", and this isn't "what we were left with after relocation", this is, TNSE and Kevin Cheveldayoffs team, for better or worse. And the expectations and results are now 100% on their shoulders.
There is hardly a player on this roster that Kevin Cheveldayoff has not signed, re-signed, or drafted. The ONLY players on the roster Cheveldayoff has not had to do anything with contract wise is Dustin Byfuglien, Mark Stuart and Chris Thorburn, everyone else has either been acquired, re-signed long-term or drafted by Chevy.
Ladd, Kane, Wheeler, Little, Enstrom, Bogosian, Pavelec have all been given 5+ year contracts by Kevin Cheveldayoff. Clitsome and Slater were given 3 year deals.
The two prized prospects turning pro this season and knocking on the door of the NHL, Mark Scheifele and Jacob Trouba, are doing so on Kevin Cheveldayoff's watch.
"We have no depth" has been a common complaint in regards to this team since the day it arrived in Winnipeg, however, if it fails this go around, again, that's on Kevin Cheveldayoff. 100%, in my opinion.
Jokinen, Setoguchi, Frolik, Halischuk, Wright, Tangradi, Peluso, Clitsome, Montoya. That's a big part of our depth, our supporting cast. And they were brought in by Chevy.
Kevin Cheveldayoff can now say "I kept key components and parts of this team intact, I assembled the rest. You should be able to coach it to a playoff spot". And if Noel can't... he's as good as gone, in my opinion.
Claude Noel was even given a "lame duck" extension. That tells me all I need to know in regards to expectations this year from the management group of this team. It tells me they believe in the roster assembled in that it can be a playoff team, and either Noel will coach them there, or he won't. If this team doesn't make some serious progress in the standings and make the playoffs (or at the least miss by a hair and have some pretty damn good excuses...), Noel is gone, in my opinion.
I love this, I love that the expectations and results can now be pinned directly on those running and operating the Winnipeg Jets. No more excuses, because this team, right from top to bottom, to the coach, to the GM, has been put in place by TNSE. Now we're really going to see what this group as a whole, are made of. I think if things go poorly from here on out, there will be consequences. I like that.