Jets' Perfetti hungry for NHL shot, won't forget teams that passed on him

WINNIPEG — The synergy was almost everywhere you turned and it was fitting that the Winnipeg Jets invited Crystal Hawerchuk to announce the 10th-overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.

As the Jets took part in their 10th draft since the franchise relocated from Atlanta, you had to believe that somewhere Dale Hawerchuk was smiling as Winnipeg made skilled centre Cole Perfetti their most recent first-rounder.

Many of the mock drafts had the Saginaw Spirit forward going in the top five, with many having him going as high as fourth-overall to the Detroit Red Wings. But as the names kept going off the board, it became apparent the Jets would be able to land a player at one of their most critical positions of need.

Whether Perfetti is able to crack the lineup as an 18-year-old or not, this choice helps solidify the organization down the middle and provides a running mate to Mark Scheifele.

When the Minnesota Wild chose Marco Rossi of the Ottawa 67s, you had the feeling Kevin Cheveldayoff would have run directly to the podium if the event was being held inside the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Instead, Cheveldayoff was grinning from ear to ear as he gave the stage to Hawerchuk’s wife to make the selection, in what can only be described as a classy gesture.

“Just a real special moment. The raw emotion that everyone feels and the love that we feel for Dale and his family,” Cheveldayoff said during his meeting with reporters after the first round. “He was a big part of the conversations and the development of a player like Mark Scheifele. The way the stars aligned, in our 10th year, when we had the opportunity to have the 10th pick, we had the idea that who better to make it than the greatest No. 10 in the Winnipeg Jets history.”

“Obviously, it’s been emotional, that story,” Perfetti said during a Zoom call with reporters. “Dale was an amazing hockey player and a great person off the ice. He left a legacy and lasting impression on everyone in Canada, but especially in Winnipeg. To be called by Crystal was a pretty cool moment. To be the 10th pick when he wore No. 10, that was pretty cool.”

The Hawerchuk connection to Scheifele has been well-documented, but when it comes to comparisons, there are some similarities to how Perfetti approaches and appreciates the game he loves.

“First and foremost, they’re getting an unbelievable person. A very humble person,” Spirit general manager Dave Drinkill said during a telephone interview on Tuesday night. “He’s very driven and he’s very motivated. Just a complete leader and a great teammate off the ice. They’re definitely going to be thrilled to have him part of the organization. I know Mark Scheifele very well and I was working for the Barrie Colts when the (Jets) drafted him into their organization. Cole is the same type of person as Mark and I know what he means to the Jets organization.

“He’s a player that eats and breathes it. He loves hockey, he loves everything about it and he wants to be the best. He’s self-motivated. He wants to be great and he knows everything he has to do to get there because he’s such a student of the game and he sees how other players have gotten there. He’s going to put in the work and do everything the right way and the professional way.

“On the ice, Cole is a high, high IQ player. Very skilled. He puts up a pile of points and he thinks the game at another level. As he gets to the next level, with players that can kind of think a little bit on the same wavelength as him, it’s going to get even easier for him and the game is going to slow down. I’m very excited to see what he’s going to do at the next level. The Jets definitely got a steal at No. 10.”

While he’s never lacking motivation, Perfetti couldn’t help but notice being passed over. That’s part of the deal when a player is chosen later than he was expected to.

“Yeah, it was definitely a nerve-wracking moment,” said Perfetti. “You work so hard your entire life for this moment, you just want to be picked and you want to go to an organization that will give you an opportunity, that cares for you, that wants you there. So, I think the Jets is a great pick and a great spot for me, and I can’t wait to get there and get going. But it was definitely the longest hour-and-a-half of my life but the best hour-and-a-half of my life. I’ll never forget it.”

His offensive skillset and high hockey IQ has made him a can’t miss prospect in the 2020 #NHLDraft.

Meet the Future: Cole Perfettihttps://t.co/Ht2QbUF4YF

Presented by @RamTrucksCanada pic.twitter.com/c0DifA2ska

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 6, 2020

While he’s thrilled with where he ended up with the Jets, Perfetti has also taken it personally.

“Obviously I’m ecstatic to be a Winnipeg Jet, but there were nine other teams that passed on me,” said Perfetti. “I’m going to come in trying to prove myself. At the end of the day I want to be the best player in this draft and leave a legacy. I think it’s going to be by coming in with a chip on my shoulder, playing hungry and hard and establishing that I can make an impact at the next level. It’s going to be important for me to do that right away. I definitely want to prove everyone wrong that passed on me. I’m excited to be a Jet and I think I’m going to have a great career there.

“First and foremost, (the Jets are) going to get a kid that’s pretty eager and pretty hungry to make the jump. I’m going to come in with a chip on my shoulder and I’m going to try and make an impact as soon as I can. They’re going to get a 200-foot player and definitely a guy that uses his brain and hockey IQ in the offensive zone, who has that ability to score from my shot and in tight, kind of that dual threat. It’s my hockey IQ and playmaking ability that makes me who I am.”

Along with his hockey IQ, Perfetti was the Canadian Hockey League scholastic player of the year in 2019-20 — an honour current Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey claimed in 2012-13 before he was chosen 13th overall by Winnipeg. Other members of the Jets organization to win the Western Hockey League scholastic player of the year honours include Adam Lowry (2009-10), Nelson Nogier (2013-14) and Cheveldayoff himself (1987-88).

“I definitely see a correlation with how my academics are and how that directly correlates with how fast I process on the ice and how fast I can think on the ice,” said Perfetti. “Academics are a big thing for me and my family and I’ve always taken that very seriously. I definitely think expanding your knowledge and improving your brain in the classroom will definitely make an impact and will translate right onto the ice.”

If you’re wondering how Perfetti responds to some level of disappointment, look no further to last season. After being cut by Team Canada at the world junior camp, Perfetti was a dominant force, racking up 66 points during the final 32 games.

It’s too early to tell if Perfetti can nail down a spot on the NHL roster this season or if he’ll need another year of seasoning in the OHL. He won’t be rushed, but Perfetti will be given every opportunity to show what he can do.

When he looks into the future and thinks about the prospect of playing alongside, and having the opportunity to be mentored by, someone like Scheifele, Perfetti gets goosebumps.

“What (Scheifele) does on the ice is awesome. He’s a great player and seems like he’s a great guy off the ice. I already got a text from him welcoming me to the organization,” said Perfetti. “It’s great to see guys like that really make me feel welcome. Being able to come into an organization and be able to play with guys of his calibre is special. He’s a great player and the way he thinks the game, the way he plays, he’s a true pro. I’ve been a big fan of his for many years now and admired his game. He’s a great player. It’s going to be surreal to hopefully suit up with him.

“Their roster is pretty impressive. There’s a lot of great guys you can play with up and down the lineup. It would be a lot of fun. Whether you’re playing with Scheifele or Copp or Wheeler or Laine for that matter, there’s so many great players. To even be able to think about playing with those guys gives me goosebumps. It’ll be a lot of fun. I think we’ll work well together.”

Much like in 2015, when left-winger Kyle Connor fell to the Jets at 17, Cheveldayoff liked the way things were unfolding in the picks leading up to No. 10.

Then he received an interesting offer to trade down that he felt was important enough to mention, though he wouldn’t reveal the team that came calling or dig into what was being proposed.

“It was an exciting couple of picks before, where you see the players falling into place. There’s lots of talent in the top 10 and when we knew we were going to be selecting in the top 10, we felt pretty good about it. As the draft went on, we felt even better about it,” said Cheveldayoff. “I haven’t really ever divulged our list but it was funny because, as things started to unfold, I started to get a few more phone calls. And I did have one team make a real kind of interesting offer. Someday, in my book — you’ll have to read it — but for us, our lists are sacred and we tend to keep them pretty tight.”

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Whether that phone call involved a proposal involving Jets sniper Patrik Laine remains to be seen, but that’s a situation that will continue to be monitored over the coming days.

Spirit head coach Chris Lazary has compared Perfetti to Tampa Bay Lightning winger Nikita Kucherov in the past, an idea the skilled forward himself didn’t shy away from during his conversation with reporters on Tuesday.

Cheveldayoff had no interest in going down that road. Feeding the narrative would only add unnecessary pressure to the newest member of the organization.

“No two players are ever alike,” said Cheveldayoff. “The comparison side of things is certainly something that people are honoured by, but this is a player that has grown up around the game, his family has billeted hockey players, he’s a student of the game, he works at his game off the ice exceptionally hard and he’s an exceptionally smart player. He’s going to be his own person and his own player and we’re ecstatic to see him develop in our organization.

“Everyone raved about his intelligence. People raved about his character and, obviously, his stats and on-ice play speak for themselves. As an organization, when you get a chance to draft high-character players that are talented, like he is, it’s something you’re very excited about. There’s no question that he’s going to be working on his game. He’s a determined person, a determined player and I have no doubt that he’s going to be pushing to make some tough decisions for us sooner rather than later.”

Barring a trade, the Jets have only three picks remaining on Day 2 of the draft, coming in the second round (No. 40), the fifth round (No. 133) and the sixth round (No. 164).

It’s certainly possible the Jets look to either trade down and/or move a roster player or two to secure some additional selection on Wednesday.

“Two things have to happen. One is we have to feel there’s a grouping of players that we’d be able to pick out of and two, someone has to have a desire to want to use multiple picks to move up,” said Cheveldayoff. “Again, it is a situation that we’re not averse to. We’ve talked about that possibility, but we’ll see.”