It’s time for another edition of NHL rumours. We’re nearing the month of September and that start of training camp. However, general managers need to take care of things before the start of the season. There are still a number of restricted free agents that need to be signed before camp starts in the middle of next month. The Winnipeg Jets have one of those talented RFAs that needs a new deal. This edition of NHL rumours deals with the status of contract talks with that young forward.
All NHL rumours come from the original source and are subject to change.
NHL Rumours
Winnipeg Jets Await Signing of RFA Forward
Rumour: Scott Billeck of the Winnipeg Sun gave an update on talks between the Jets and Cole Perfetti. The RFA centre still remains unsigned as of publication.
On Cole Perfetti, nothing substantial yet and Cheveldayoff would talk negotiations.
I continue to hear Perfetti wants a long term deal. He sees his peers getting similar contracts this summer.
See where it goes. Jets likely would need to create a bit of space.
— Scott Billeck (@ScottBilleck) August 22, 2024
Analysis: Perfetti is coming off a career-best 19-goal season and is looking for a bigger role with Winnipeg this season. The 22-year-old is figuring to be a big part of the lineup and the two sides are hoping to make a deal happen.
Billeck said that nothing substantial has happened between both parties as of yet. Perfetti is looking for a pay raise from his entry-level deal that saw him make nearly $900,000 per campaign.
Some may worry that nothing has been signed as of yet. The recent offer sheets by the St Louis Blues might make fans a bit nervous. However, there are some positives to take from Billeck’s post on social media.
A Long-Term Landing Spot
The Jets beat reporter did say that Perfetti wants a long-term deal. Billeck mentions that Perfetti sees his peers getting long-term contracts and wants to go the same route.
This is good news for a franchise that is often chided for not being a hot destination for free agents. Seeing a player like Perfetti that wants to stay for a while is a good thing. The Whitby, Ontario native wants to be part of the long-term solution in Manitoba.
A lengthy deal for Perfetti means that Jets General Manager Kevin Cheveldayoff would have to do some maneuvering with the salary cap in order to make something happen. However, a player with the potential of Perfetti might be worth that bit of short-term pain.
Clearing the Runway
The Jets do have just over $5.7 million in salary cap space according to Puckpedia. Some think a bridge deal could be in order, but Perfetti wants the security of a longer term.
The Athletic’s Murat Ates looked into a possible deal for Perfetti earlier in the summer. He thought a bridge deal in the same vain that Shane Pinto of the Ottawa Senators got would be the way the two sides would go. Pinto got a two-year, $3.75 million bridge from Ottawa.
However, Ates argues a longer-term deal of seven years with a $6 million cap hit could allow the Jets to get two years of his unrestricted free agent status. Some Jets fans may get nervous about that long of a commitment to a player that’s battled injuries. However, it could save Winnipeg money in the long run.
If Perfetti continues his upward trajectory, he could cash in for a much-bigger cap hit. A long-term deal may suit Winnipeg much better now.
Main photo by: Terrence Lee-USA TODAY Sports
