Jets’ Patience with Cole Perfetti the Key to his Success

Since being drafted, the expectations have been high and Perfetti has met expectations so far succeeding statistically with the Manitoba Moose, Team Canada World Junior team and the Jets. He is never going to blow you away with speed or score 35-plus goals but he definitely has 20-goal scoring potential along with elite playmaking skills. He just does all the little things right, kind of like a younger version of dynamic two-way center and former Jet Paul Stastny.

Confusing Decisions Being Made

The age-old adage of the NHL; deciding the right call is to play mediocre players over young players who might not be mediocre. This is usually seen primarily with bottom of the lineup players, but this is what has happened to Perfetti while he has been in the NHL. Vladislav Namestnikov is a third-liner at best who can sometimes be a utility player in a pinch on a top-six line while Perfetti is currently at worse a middle-six forward who has the potential to grow into even more. However, the Jets currently seem fine with rolling out the current day worse player and longer-term worse player in Namestnikov at center instead of Perfetti.

From an immediate and long-term vision, doesn’t it at least make sense to give Perfetti 40-plus games as a second-line centre to see if he has the chops to do it? Obviously, vetoes can be made if Perfetti is dreadful, but through six games that has not been the case. According to MoneyPuck, he has been head and shoulders above his linemates as the best Jet analytically.

From a play driving perspective, he leads all currently healthy Jets skaters in on-ice expected goals percentage at 70.1 percent, meaning he controls the majority of scoring chances when he is on the ice. This begs the question that maybe he has been elite offensively and that is covering his subpar defensive play. This would be incorrect as he is currently leading all healthy Jets skaters in on-ice expected goals against per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time with 1.63 goals against. Meaning when Perfetti plays 60 minutes of ice time (roughly five to six games of 5-on-5 ice time) he will be on the ice for 1.63 goals against worth of scoring chances. Simply put, his metrics have been absolutely elite this season.

Last season when the Jets were tied or down one goal, smaller players like Nikolaj Ehlers and Perfetti were routinely given less ice time. Whether this was because of their lack of size or their more offensive gameplay, it was completely the wrong move. As previously stated, Perfetti is above average at both ends of the ice while Ehlers makes up for his lacklustre defensive zone play by hemming the opposition in their own end. The Jets are severely capping Perfetti’s ceiling (and others) by playing them less when the game is close and the size excuse has become extremely redundant in today’s skilled and fast game.

Jets’ Future Needs a Healthy Dose of Perfetti

The Jets have their franchise goalie, center and defenceman all locked up long-term in Connor Hellebuyck, Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey respectively. But the deciding factor on whether the Jets will truly become a contender in the next few years depends on the depth of their lineup (specifically at center and defence). While defence is certainly murky at the moment, the solution to the second-line center position is clearly already in-house in Perfetti. He has already had success as a winger and briefly as a center this season, meaning if the Jets are willing to be patient Perfetti could be a productive second-line center for the next decade in Winnipeg.