Jets’ Cole Perfetti to file for arbitration
The list of eligible restricted free agents opting to file for arbitration ahead of the deadline of 5:00 PM Eastern on Sunday appears poised to grow by one.
After Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars and Braden Schneider of the New York Rangers chose to go that route, Winnipeg Jets center Cole Perfetti and his camp are doing the same, according to a report from insider Murat Ates of The Athletic.
For Winnipeg: Expect Cole Perfetti to file for arbitration. Would remove offer sheets as a possibility. The arbitration hearing date (TBD, later this summer) would serve as a deadline for a long term deal.
The deadline for players to file for arbitration is tomorrow (July 5) at 5pm ET. If a player files for arbitration, they are no longer eligible for an offer sheet. puckpedia.com/news/nhl-provi…
By filing, Perfetti will no longer be eligible to sign an offer sheet, but he would still be able to work out a long-term extension with the Jets or be traded to another team.
The No. 10 overall pick in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Perfetti regressed offensively in a season that marked a major opportunity for him, as he posted just 32 points in 68 games while skating a career high of 15:37 of time on ice per game.
The Whitby, Ontario native enjoyed the best year of his career in 2024-25 reaching 50 points for the first time while appearing in all 82 regular season contests.
Perfetti is coming off of a two-year contract extension that immediately followed his entry-level contract and carried a salary cap hit of $3.25 million.
It’s been a tumultuous offseason for Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff, who is navigating the possibility of trading 2025 Hart Trophy-winning goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, who may or may not be seeking a change of scenery.
Still, Winnipeg’s front office did work to bolster its ability to suppress goals against on July 1, signing goaltender Stuart Skinner and reliable defenseman Mario Ferraro in unrestricted free agency.
The Jets are looking to recover from a disappointing season that saw them go from Presidents’ Trophy winner to out of the postseason altogether after Hellebuyck took a step back and dealt with injuries and the front office did not adequately replace winger Nikolaj Ehlers, who won the Stanley Cup in his first season in an augmented role with the Carolina Hurricanes after leaving in free agency.