The Jets secure a high-ceiling playmaker through his prime, betting $30 million that the former top-ten pick recaptures his 50-point form to become a long-term offensive cornerstone.
On Wednesday, the Winnipeg Jets avoided a trip to arbitration with forward Cole Perfetti, as the two sides have agreed on a five-year contract extension worth $30 million with a $6 million annual cap hit, according to multiple reports.
The new contract looks like a win for everyone involved as Perfetti locks in financial security through his prime years while still allowing him to hit unrestricted free agency at 29, giving him another shot at a big payday down the line. For the Jets, locking in a former top-ten pick at a $6 million cap hit gives them cost certainty on a player they still believe can be an impact scorer in their top six.
The 24-year-old Whitby, Ontario, native is coming off an up-and-down two years since his entry-level contract expired. In 2024-25, Perfetti set career highs across the board, posting 18 goals and 32 assists for 50 points in all 82 games. He took a step back this past season, managing just 32 points in 68 games as he battled injuries and a late start to the season but can hopefully bounce back going forward.
If Perfetti can find his way back to the level he played at in 2024-25, this extension could end up looking like the best value contracts on Winnipeg's roster. At a $6 million cap hit, a 50-point season from a top-six forward would represent a bargain in today's rising-cap NHL, giving general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff another building block towards getting the Jets back into the playoff picture.
For now, the Jets can turn the page on one of their most closely watched contract situations of the summer, locking up a player who has already delivered one of the most memorable moments in recent franchise history, his game-tying goal with 2.2 seconds left in Game 7 of Winnipeg's first-round series against St. Louis in the 2025 playoffs.
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