Canada has received a big boost at forward for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championships after the Winnipeg Jets announced Cole Perfetti has been loaned to the team.
Perfetti was the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and is one of the Jets' top prospects. He is currently playing for the AHL's Manitoba Moose, where he has six goals and 15 points in 17 games.
The 19-year-old was on the ice with his Canadian teammates Thursday for the first day of roster selection camp. Speaking to the media afterwards, he said his pro-level experience will be a big asset to the team.
"Playing against men for the last year has been great for me. The only way to get better is to experience the next level. The speed, the size, the physicality, the skill, everything is just another level," he said. "To be forced to play like that as a 19-year-old, not a lot of kids get to do that and get that opportunity."
Perfetti made his NHL debut with the Jets earlier this season -- appearing in two games. He will join three other forwards with NHL experience on the team in Jake Neighbours, Hendrix Lapierre and Mason McTavish.
The Whitby, Ont. native had six points in seven games at last year's tournament as Canada took home the silver medal.
