Report: Cheveldayoff new Winnipeg GM

The return of the NHL to Winnipeg will have a Chicagoan at the helm.

True North Sports and Entertainment will introduce Kevin Cheveldayoff as the general manager of its new NHL team on Wednesday, an NHL source tells the Winnipeg Sun.

The organization has called a news conference for 2 p.m., at which time the Chicago Blackhawks assistant general manager and former Chicago Wolves executive will take control of the former Atlanta Thrashers.

Cheveldayoff, a Saskatchewan native, was the Blackhawks assistant GM the last two years. Before that he guided the Wolves over 12 years to four league championships in the AHL and IHL.

According to the Sun, he'll join Manitoba Moose holdover Craig Heisinger as the two key figures in the team's front office. It's believed former Winnipeg Jets forward Kris King is also a strong candidate to take a position with the club.

Last summer Cheveldayoff enjoyed his day with the 2010 Stanley Cup by taking it to a group of Special Olympians at Grove School in Barrington, and visiting the Hoffman Estates Park District ice arena so youth hockey players could see the Cup up close.