NHL Draft prospect Perron stays grounded

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This article was published 25/06/2023 (807 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipegger Jayden Perron is one of the slickest, smartest prospects available in this week’s NHL Draft.

The main critique of Perron is a shortcoming of which he has no control — he’s only 5-9, 163 pounds.

But if you delve into what makes the 18-year-old right-winger tick, it’s not a stretch to suggest some of his maturity and independent outlook can be traced back to growing up in a household with his autistic younger sister, Desirae.

Although his 15-year-old sibling is largely non-verbal, Perron believes Desirae has helped to keep him grounded on his road to the NHL.

“I’ve kind of learned to be more understanding of people and I think she helped teach me a lot,” Perron said recently. “I think taking care of her growing up helped me to be a lot more independent and mature… It’s given me the work ethic I have and obviously I kind of got that from my mom and seeing her take care of my sister and how much work that is.

“It instilled that in me and it made me want to do the same. It’s kind of a big motivation to be able to support her when I’m older.”

A selfless attitude and the desire to support others were the things Jayden and his older brother, David, were keenly aware of growing up with a sister with special needs.

“It’s kind of just finding a balance because everybody has needs in the family,” said mom Doreen Perron. “It’s not just one person and I think that’s what helps to keep Jay where he is — headspace-wise. He’s not first on the list in the house.”

While brother and sister have a close bond, the relationship had to adapt in recent years. When the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered minor hockey in Winnipeg three years ago, Perron finished his 15-year-old season in Sioux Falls, S.D., before he graduated to the USHL’s Chicago Steel for his 16- and 17-year-old campaigns.

His development continued on a steady pace in Chicago, highlighted first by a commitment to attend the University of North Dakota on a scholarship and then capped by a 72-point sophomore season, including 24 goals, which was good for fifth in USHL scoring.

This fall, he’ll be one of a small number of 18-year-old rookies playing NCAA Division I hockey.

“He’s a humble, hardworking young man who’s passionate about the game and we’re super excited about getting him into our group here,” said UND head coach Brad Berry. “He’s got a lot of high-end ability to create offence but he’s very good defensively as well. He’s mindful of his play away from the puck and he’s competitive.

“I believe he’s going to have success right away in college hockey even though it’s a hard, heavy league with older players.”

In 2022-23, Perron played on the Steel’s top line with centre Macklin Celebrini, an early favourite to go No. 1 overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Was Perron overshadowed by his more celebrated linemate?

“Maybe in the media Macklin kind of dominated the headlines but I really feel that both of them benefited from playing with each other in different respects,” said Steel associate GM Noëlle Needham, who coached Perron in 2020-21 with the Sioux Falls U-16 Power team.

Perron and Celebrini, a 17-year-old centre who led the USHL with 86 points in 50 games, were a deadly tandem.

“We both love to move the puck and I think we use that to our advantage and kind of were able to pick teams apart with our puck movement,” said Perron. “I definitely think we made each other better out there and I think that’s why we had so much success.”

“He’s phenomenal on the power play — his brain and his skills that are very unique — and he’s a kid that I would never ever bet against — ever,” said Needham. “I think on the power play he’s very talented given the space that is afforded there, especially when the puck is on his stick, but he makes plays like that 5-on-5, too.”

Needham believes Perron’s shot, particularly his one-timer, is underrated and improving but his hockey brain and his ability to process the action is at the top of his class.

“He has an elevated thought process,” said Needham. “He’s got vision and so forth but it is like he’s two or three plays ahead of defenders at times in an effort to manipulate a situation. I’ve talked to scouts and NHL GMs and I tell them Jayden’s a guy who makes the other four players better every single shift and you have to have a very unique hockey IQ to be able to do that.”

In the off-season, Perron works on skill development with Evolution Hockey’s Riley Dudar in Winnipeg. Dudar isn’t worried that a compact frame might impede his ascent to the pro game.

“I just think Jay’s hockey sense is going to be able to put him in a place where he’s gonna figure it out, regardless of what his size is,” said Dudar, who has tutored Perron since he was an 11-year-old. “He just he’s such an intelligent player. A lot of people don’t really talk about his defence, but his hockey sense is just so high and so is his stick detail. His anticipation skills and the routes that he takes and how he angles guys is so good that he can play any position.”

Where that skillset puts Perron in the appraisal of NHL talent evaluators will be tested at the draft in Nashville. Various draft analysts have him going anywhere from the middle of the first round to the second round, perhaps even falling to the third. NHL Central Scouting rated him the 43rd best North American skater at year end.

Whatever happens, his development track at UND should be a good fit.

“You kind of see the track record of all the pros they’ve produced and that definitely catches your eye,” said Perron, who starts a six-week conditioning camp in Grand Forks, N.D., with his new teammates July 10. “They know what they’re doing there and I trust them with everything. I’m very excited for it.”

How quickly Perron becomes pro-ready is more difficult to ascertain.

“I don’t think there’s any rush,” said Dudar. “I think him playing in the NCAA where he’s going to get to lift weights three, four days a week in a legit strength and conditioning program and playing games on the weekends is going to allow him to fill out physically and it’s going to allow him to continue to hone his game. If he played college hockey for a couple years, I think he’d be able to step right into the NHL after that.”

The entire Perron family is looking forward to watching Jayden play for the Fighting Hawks, with home games only a two-hour drive away.

“Actually, it’ll be wonderful,” said mom Doreen. “We’re looking very forward to it and (UND) is going to help with some accommodations as well for Desirae, so that’ll be nice. We’ll be able to go and see a few extra games because we didn’t get to that many in Chicago.”

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14