Perfetti thrilled to join Jets camp

WINNIPEG – Cole Perfetti may have been the Canadian Hockey League’s Scholastic Player of the Year in 2020, but he’d much rather be using his smarts on the ice than on the business side of the sport.

Thankfully, the business side is done, as the 22-year-old forward and the Winnipeg Jets agreed on a two-year contract (with a $3.25 million average annual value) late on Monday evening.

By Tuesday morning, number 91 was back on the ice with his teammates.

“It’s nice to get that done. It’s nice to be back in camp and with the guys,” said Perfetti after a nearly 90-minute skate. “I’m going to use this year to try and take a big step with my game and hopefully play as good as I can and play as good as I can for this team and take that next step.”

His first day in camp was a special teams filled practice, so he primarily spent time on a unit with Nino Niederreiter, Vladislav Namestnikov, Brad Lambert, and Neal Pionk.

Head coach Scott Arniel has already told Perfetti his first preseason game won’t come on Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers, but on Friday in Minnesota instead.

“I’m glad it’s done. He can get in there and get some games in and get up to speed,” Arniel said. “He’s a top-six forward and when you don’t have that – those guys, you need them on your hockey team -- and he’s here and I’m pretty sure he’s excited to be back with the guys and to get going.”

Perfetti, Winnipeg’s first round pick in 2020, had a breakthrough season in 2023-24. The counting stats of 19 goals and 38 points in 71 games were all career highs, but after his first two National Hockey League seasons were cut short by injury, getting through a full season healthy was also important.

He didn’t rest on that fact, either. Perfetti went right back to work this past summer with trainer Matt Nichol and added some muscle – he’s up to “193 or 194” pounds from last season’s 185.

The important part is he feels strong on the ice, and noticed that right away, whether it was in informal skates prior to camp or with the small group of pros he’s worked with over the last week.

“I think this is the best I've ever felt going onto the ice,” Perffetti said. “Those skates before camp I felt fantastic with the guys. Today was a good day. I’m trying to get better every day and take what happened last year and just build off it and just try to be the best player.”

A year ago at this time, Perfetti was auditioning in the second line centre spot, but ultimately ended up on the wing. Arniel said that’s where the forward will start this season.

“He can play both left and right side. He was actually good on the walls,” said Arniel. “It kind of got the puck in his hands a lot because he wasn’t coming out of the hole from the corners. He was actually getting the puck either first or second touch, and now, he’s going from blueline to blueline, being able to make plays that way.”

There are four games left in the preseason and still plenty of time for Perfetti to work with different linemates and power play combinations ahead of the season opener on October 9 in Edmonton.

There will be time to look ahead in the calendar as training camp winds down, but for now, Perfetti is just happy to be back where he feels he belongs.

“I wanted to be back with the guys, wanted to be in the room with the group,” said Perfetti. “You wait all summer for that, then you have to wait a couple extra days. It was nice to walk in the rink today and have that feeling and just focus on hockey.”

ICE CHIPS

Prior to the first ice session on Tuesday, the Jets reduced their training camp roster by 12 players.

Chaz Lucius, Henri Nikkanen, and Danny Zhilkin were assigned to the Manitoba Moose.

Dylan Anhorn, Dawson Barteaux, Ashton Sautner, and Ben King were released from their professional try-outs and will head to Moose camp as well.

And finally, five players were released back to their junior clubs: Kevin He, Jacob Julien, Connor Levis, Kieron Walton, and Markus Loponen.

For that last group in particular, Arniel was happy to get them into NHL preseason action.

“I just asked them what they thought. It was amazing how every one of them said how faster, bigger, stronger... and that's what I said to them as well, that's the progression,” said Arniel. “It's about making sure they don't waste a year, that they go back to junior, they go back down to the Moose. Don't waste a year. Go back and work on the things you have to work on. We have lots of people that are going to help them with things in that area, what they need to improve.”