Lessons learned from drought

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This article was published 04/03/2025 (262 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

ELMONT, N.Y. — The drought was one Cole Perfetti had little interest in enduring as it unfolded, though, now a year later, he acknowledges it provided some vital learning lessons.

At this time last season, the Winnipeg Jets forward was in the midst of the coldest stretch in his young NHL career and the inability to score was clearly bothering him.

It seemed like the harder he tried, the worse it got.

“When I got to 10, 11 games (without a goal), I was pressing and (thinking) ‘Am I ever going to score again?’” Perfetti recalled before the Jets faced the New York Islanders Tuesday night to open a four-game road trip. “And then it just keeps compounding and you get in your own head and then you play a game that you should not be playing because you’re trying to force it so much. When you force it, it doesn’t come.”

During the 23-game goal-scoring slump — which included only two assists — Perfetti’s confidence was shaken as he dealt with being a healthy scratch on multiple occasions during the team’s stretch run and in four of the five playoff contests.

The dry spell extended through the NHL trade deadline and, with Perfetti trying to find his way, the Jets brought in Tyler Toffoli in a trade with the New Jersey Devils.

Toffoli eventually replaced Perfetti on the Jets’ second line with Nikolaj Ehlers and Sean Monahan.

Before the regular season came to an end, Perfetti regained his scoring touch, producing four goals and six points during the final five games.

Perfetti came to important conclusion when he reflected on the challenging stretch during the off-season.

“If you’re not impacting the scoreboard, you’re impacting (the game) in other ways, whether it’s on the forecheck, blocking shots. Whatever it is, just adapt,” said Perfetti. “It’s not easy to go through, no matter how old you are. But it makes you a better player, a better person on the other side.

“One thing that I really learned is the more pressure you put on yourself, the more you start gripping your stick a little bit more, the more you want it so bad, the further you get from it. If you just play the right way and not focus on scoring or getting points, they’re going to come.”

Perfetti also realizes even the most consistent goal scorers in the NHL occasionally have trouble lighting the lamp with regularity.

“When I got to 10, 11 games (without a goal), I was pressing and (thinking) ‘Am I ever going to score again?’”–Cole Perfetti

“Everyone goes through it. Even superstars. (Filip) Forsberg went (16) games without a goal, even (Steven) Stamkos has gone 13 (games),” said Perfetti. “You try to learn from that. Being consistent with it every day, coming to the rink and not putting that pressure on yourself.”

Sometimes, that is easier said than done.

Having the ability to stay positive when things aren’t going smoothly is part of the maturation process and that’s an area Perfetti has taken some important strides in this season.

“He’s not so hard on himself. That’s one of the biggest areas for me,” said Jets head coach Scott Arniel. “That would start between the ears. Just being one year older, he recognized that (the frustration) doesn’t help his cause.

“Every shift, he goes out and he’s competitive and he wants to win his puck battles. His compete level is really good and then, (it’s) just the confidence that you see. He’s not afraid to make plays and he’s a smart, heady kid and he knows that when he uses his skillset, that he can have success.”

That skillset has been on display frequently and Perfetti is playing some of the best hockey of his budding career.

Although he had to work through a 14-game stretch without recording a point, Perfetti snapped out of that offensive funk with the first hat trick of his career.

In between, he found other ways to contribute.

“I went through a stretch again this year when the points weren’t coming, but I still felt like I was playing good hockey during that time,” said Perfetti, who had 12 goals and 37 points in 61 games going into Tuesday’s action. “Eventually, if you keep playing and you keep consistent, the puck luck is going to switch. As of late, it has. So, that’s something that I learned last year that I think I had a little bit better time dealing with this year.”

That ability to deal with whatever comes his way is also beneficial in a week like this one.

“One thing that I really learned is the more pressure you put on yourself, the more you start gripping your stick a little bit more, the more you want it so bad, the further you get from it.”–Cole Perfetti

With the NHL trade deadline coming up on Friday, Perfetti is taking things in stride on that front as well.

Although the Jets are thrilled with his development, when a team battling for the Presidents’ Trophy is looking for an upgrade, you can be sure that many organizations are wondering if Perfetti could be included in the return of a potential deal.

“You don’t really want to spend too much time focusing on that because I don’t want to waste energy on something I have no control over,” said Perfetti. “Just show up every day ready to go and you never know what’s going to happen with this week coming up. But at the same time, we have a job to do.”

Perfetti’s ability to do his job well and round out his overall game is part of the reason he looks to be entrenched in the Jets’ top-six forward group and on the second power-play unit beyond Friday and well into the future.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

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