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Screen Shots: Jets Invest Wisely In Cole Perfetti, Plus Gavin McKenna Expectations
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- Screen Shots: Jets Invest Wisely In Cole Perfetti, Plus Gavin McKenna Expectations
The Winnipeg Jets and Cole Perfetti avoided arbitration by agreeing on a five-year, $30 million contract on Wednesday.
Although last season was a bit disappointing for him and the Jets, Perfetti's latest deal proves it's far too soon for the Jets to give up on him.
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We're looking at Perfetti's new contract, the expectations for Gavin McKenna and the NHL Alumni Association's new wellness plan in Screen Shots. Let's get to it.
Perfetti, 24, has been a key cog in the Jets' future since Winnipeg drafted him 10th overall in 2020, and he's been rewarded for it.
It looked like Perfetti was breaking out in 2024-25, when he recorded 18 goals and 50 points in 82 games. But his numbers dropped this past season to 12 goals and 32 points in 68 games. Even over 82 games, he was on pace for 38 points.
That said, you can see why Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff made the investment in Perfetti. He's signed for the early part of his prime seasons, and this contract takes him to age 29 – the perfect age to get paid even more handsomely with another six- or seven-year deal.
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Despite his drop in goals and points, Perfetti still ranked first among Jets forwards in shot attempt percentage and expected goals percentage at 5-on-5, according to naturalstattrick.com . In other words, the Jets had more shot attempts for them than against them with Perfetti on the ice, and the chances they developed were likelier to go in.
While there is risk to Perfetti's new contract, the salary cap ceiling is rising every season, so a $6-million cap hit won't be a terrible burden if he doesn't elevate his game. Perfetti gets a solid commitment from the Jets, and the Jets get cost certainty for an important part of their future.
Cheveldayoff still has about $5.5 million in cap space to use during the season. It's all tidy work from the Jets GM, and Winnipeg should bounce back next year in part because they've got Perfetti signed for the long haul.
The NHL draft is a few weeks in the rear-view mirror, but the hype machine surrounding No. 1 draft pick Gavin McKenna and the Toronto Maple Leafs is still kicking into high gear.
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McKenna has thrown out the first ball at a Toronto Blue Jays game, and he quickly signed his first NHL contract and participated in his first NHL development camp.
It's been a whirlwind in less than a month for McKenna, and you can forgive Maple Leafs fans for expecting the world from the 18-year-old.
But it's important to remember that his transition into the best hockey league in the world might start somewhat slowly. Bursting onto the scene in Year 1 with a point per game isn't a guarantee for any top prospect.
McKenna may have the same kind of skills as a Mitch Marner or prime-era Patrick Kane, but if he plays on Toronto's first or second line and he only comes away with 40 to 50 points this coming season, will some Leafs fans see that as a disappointment? They shouldn't.
'He Has The Ability To Make Players Better': What Leafs Development Camp Revealed About McKenna's Long-Term Growth
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There are many NHLers who took some time to adapt to high-level play before they figured it out and blossomed, such as relatively recent first overall picks Jack Hughes, Juraj Slafkovsky and, about a decade ago, Nathan MacKinnon. That could be the case with McKenna.
McKenna started this past season with four goals and 16 points in 15 games for Penn State, with a lot of his production coming on the power play. That raised some doubts about his transition to college hockey, but his second half answered most bruning questions about his play.
The bar for him will be high because of his draft status, but the Leafs need to take their time with McKenna and ease him into their game plan. Expecting the world out of him right away will only lead to more criticism of the rookie.
Finally, kudos to NHL Alumni executive director Glenn Healy and the Alumni itself for their new wellness plan .
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Under the new plan, all of the 5,000-plus former NHLers will have a family doctor and a mental health wellness professional for themselves and their wife and children. That's an important step forward for former players, many of whom have been too proud to seek help.
Credit is also due to NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and NHL Players Association executive director Marty Walsh for agreeing to help widows and families of former players. We recently lost former star winger Claude Lemieux to a battle with mental health, and the hockey community must do whatever it can to proactively address mental health issues by providing support wherever possible. And that process took a major step forward with Healy's initiative.
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