First time feat for hot-handed Perfetti Jets versatile forward set to play all 82 games By: Ken Wiebe Posted: 5:02 PM CDT Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2025 Last Modified: 7:14 PM CDT Tuesday, Apr. 15, 2025 Updates

Cole Perfetti made it clear right out of the gate that he wasn’t the superstitious type.

So while some folks might be hesitant talking about something before it actually happens, the Winnipeg Jets forward leaned into questions about what it will mean to him to suit up in all 82 games this season.

By suiting up in Wednesday’s finale against the Anaheim Ducks, Perfetti will accomplish the feat for the first time in his career — and it’s something that means a lot to him.

When you consider his first two NHL seasons ended prematurely due to injury and his third included frequent healthy scratches during the stretch run, you can clearly understand why he’s viewing this as a badge of honour.

“Especially in the last couple of years there’s been injuries and stuff like that,” said Perfetti. “So, I feel really good about myself in the fact that making it through 82 is a cool accomplishment. So I’m happy about that. It’s awesome.”

Shoulder and back issues that put Perfetti on the shelf seem like nothing but a distant memory, as durability is becoming a calling card for the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

The same goes for those unplanned times in the press box.

Perfetti has been consistent and played his best hockey of the campaign when the intensity has been ratcheted up.

“I feel really good about myself in the fact that making it through 82 is a cool accomplishment. So I’m happy about that. It’s awesome.”– Jets centre Cole Perfetti

“It feels good to complete a full season and play in 82 games, and it’s something that I wanted,” said Perfetti. “It was a goal of mine that I set out at the beginning of the year, to finish the season and play 82, and was lucky enough to be able to.”

The durability component is important as the Jets prepare to open the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs this weekend, where Perfetti figures to have an enhanced role with the news Nikolaj Ehlers is week-to-week with a lower-body injury and won’t be available for the foreseeable future.

That means Perfetti will remain on the Jets’ top power-play unit to go along with his even-strength minutes alongside Vladislav Namestnikov and, most likely, Nino Niederreiter.

In recent weeks, Perfetti has been used during three-on-three overtime and had his first NHL shootout attempt against the Chicago Blackhawks.

Perfetti’s soft hands were on display as his smooth deke opened up the five-hole of Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight on the play.

“As a young guy, it’s hard to establish yourself and work your way up. I’m just trying to come every day and get better in every aspect and show that I can be trusted defensively in all situations of the game,” said Perfetti. “It takes time. Slowly, I’m getting a little bit more and more.”

Perfetti knows there’s plenty of work left to be done, even after all the strides he’s taken.

“One thing that I’ve tried to focus on is just becoming more of a complete player. We’ve talked about this throughout the year, of evolving my game and adding different things in,” said Perfetti. “I’ve always been more of a point guy growing up. Having to evolve and change and being able to add elements to my game to make an impact when the points aren’t coming. It’s the NHL. It’s tough, there’s a lot of good players out here.

“I look back at the video in my head from Game 1 until now and I see the change in my game. It’s nice to look back on that and see how far I’ve come since the beginning of the year.”

Jets head coach Scott Arniel has emphasized how Perfetti has taken important steps on the mental side of the game this season and he reiterated that on Tuesday.

“You’re going to have your slumps or your moments where everything isn’t going your way,” said Arniel. “How you ride those out, how you handle those situations, (that) gets you out of them quicker. He’s done a fantastic job.

“His ability to put stuff behind him, not to get down and drag himself down, he’s been really upbeat. Whether he misses a great chance on a shift and then comes back with a solid shift or if it’s we get a couple games not scoring or making plays, he found a way to kind of make sure that he’s always contributing to our hockey club in other ways. And that’s a real good sign of a young player maturing.”

As for those increased opportunities, Arniel isn’t handing them out because Perfetti was a top prospect; it’s because of the progress he continues to make on his development path.

The transition from complementary player to play driver is well underway.

“He’s earned it, and that’s the biggest thing,” said Arniel. “Coming into the year, there were a lot of questions about our second line. And our second line, to me, has been outstanding. Those guys have carried the load for us on nights, they’ve won us hockey games.

“(Perfetti) has earned those extra opportunities. The biggest thing about it is he’s taken advantage. He’s the one guy that’s really grasped it and has really taken advantage of it and that’s what you love to see.”– Jets head coach Scott Arniel

“(Perfetti) has earned those extra opportunities. The biggest thing about it is he’s taken advantage. He’s the one guy that’s really grasped it and has really taken advantage of it and that’s what you love to see.”

With the Jets already locking down top spot in the Central Division and Western Conference, and sewn up top spot in the NHL as the Presidents’ Trophy winner, some observers wondered what that could mean for the lineup that gets rolled out on Wednesday.

But with the Jets expected to open up at home on either Saturday or Sunday, Arniel doesn’t want his regulars sitting out too long.

“We’re going all in,” said Arniel. “Everybody wants to play. And you know what, for us it’s making sure that we’re doing the right things that we’ve done all year long, playing the right way.”

“His ability to put stuff behind him, not to get down and drag himself down, he’s been really upbeat… And that’s a real good sign of a young player maturing.”– Scott Arniel

With the Ducks winning the first two games of the season series, Arniel conceded that his team would like to avoid being swept by Anaheim.

After Brad Lambert and Nikita Chibrikov were recalled from the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League to make their NHL debuts last April, there was some speculation the Jets might do the same thing this year with top defence prospect Elias Salomonssson.

But Arniel said the Swedish blue-liner wouldn’t be suiting up on Wednesday.

Salomonsson, who was chosen in the second round (55th overall) by the Jets in 2022, has five goals and 27 points in 51 games with the Moose this season.

ken.wiebe@freepress.mb.ca

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