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Jets GM says Pavelec will be the No. 1 goalie next season

Vancouver Canucks v Winnipeg Jets

WINNIPEG, MB - MARCH 12: Ondrej Pavelec #31 of the Winnipeg Jets protects his net during overtime action in an NHL game against the Vancouver Canucks at the MTS Centre on March 12, 2014 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Marianne Helm/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ondrej Pavelec

Marianne Helm

Winnipeg Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff met the media today in the wake of another disappointing regular season. The club’s Twitter account picked up a couple of key quotes from the press conference:

Our take: We’ll believe it when we see it. Pavelec struggled again this season, finishing 22-26-7 with a .901 save percentage. Goaltending has been a weakness for the Jets since they moved to Winnipeg, and Pavelec has been the No. 1 the whole time. It’s possible management still has confidence in Pavelec and believes the team’s play in front of him is the major reason for his below-average numbers. But it’s also possible the team is just stuck with him. Pavelec is signed through 2016-17 for a cap hit of $3.9 million.

Our take: Expect to hear Dustin Byfuglien’s name floated in trade rumors this summer. The Jets are plenty deep on the back end, and coach Paul Maurice already said Byfuglien will be a forward next season, despite the player’s preference to remain a defenseman. Beyond Byfuglien, the Evander Kane situation is obviously worth watching. Clearly, there’s some tension there. Whether it’s become an untenable relationship is the question.

Related: Jets sign coach Paul Maurice to four-year extension