Cole Perfetti (born January 1, 2002) is a Canadian professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two o ...
centre
Center or centre may refer to:
Mathematics
*Center (geometry), the middle of an object
* Center (algebra), used in various contexts
** Center (group theory)
** Center (ring theory)
* Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricit ...
for the
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, p ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...
(NHL). He was selected tenth overall by the Jets in the
2020 NHL Entry Draft
The 2020 NHL Entry Draft was the 58th NHL Entry Draft, held from October 6–7, 2020. The draft was originally scheduled for June 26–27, 2020, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, but was postponed on March 25, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pan ...
.
Growing up in
Whitby, Ontario
Whitby is a town in Durham Region. Whitby is located in Southern Ontario east of Ajax and west of Oshawa, on the north shore of Lake Ontario and is home to the headquarters of Durham Region. It had a population of 138,501 at the 2021 census. ...
, Perfetti spent his minor hockey career with the Whitby Wildcats. As a teenager, he enrolled at
The Hill Academy
The Hill Academy is an independent school in Ontario, Canada, for student athletes in Grades 5 -12/PG with a focus on hockey, lacrosse and golf. It is co-ed, and serves grades 5-12.
History
The Hill Academy was founded in 2006 by the Merrill famil ...
while also playing for the Vaughan Kings of the
Greater Toronto Hockey League
The Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), formerly known as the Metro Toronto Hockey League, is a minor level ice hockey organization based in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario. The league was founded in 1911 as the Beaches Hockey League by ...
. In the year prior to his
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
(OHL) eligibility, Perfetti led them in scoring with a total of 52 goals and 73 assists for 125 points. As a result of his play, Perfetti was recruited to join the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
's men's ice hockey team but ultimately chose to join the
Saginaw Spirit
The Saginaw Spirit are a major junior ice hockey team based in Saginaw, Michigan. They are members of the West Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of the Major Junior leagues of the Canadian Hockey Leagu ...
of the OHL.
During his OHL career, Perfetti set numerous franchise records due to his scoring prowess. As a rookie, he set a new franchise record for most goals scored by a rookie and earned consideration as a highly touted prospect. In his second season, Perfetti recorded 102 points through 56 games to set a new franchise record while also helping them clinch a spot in the 2020 OHL Playoffs. Due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
, his sophomore season was cut short and he joined the Jets'
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
(AHL) affiliate, the
Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and a member of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team plays its home games at Canada Life Centre, the home arena of its parent club, Winnipeg Jets o ...
, to start his professional career.
Early life
Perfetti was born on January 1, 2002, in
Whitby, Ontario
Whitby is a town in Durham Region. Whitby is located in Southern Ontario east of Ajax and west of Oshawa, on the north shore of Lake Ontario and is home to the headquarters of Durham Region. It had a population of 138,501 at the 2021 census. ...
,
to parents Angelo and Sandra. His father formerly served as a scout for the
Arizona Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mul ...
of the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...
.
Playing career
Amateur
Growing up in Whitby, Ontario, Perfetti spent his minor hockey career with the Whitby Wildcats. At the age of 10, he won the Brick Invitational Super Novice Hockey Tournament in Edmonton along with his Toronto Bulldogs teammates. During the tournament, he tallied nine points in six games.
Following this, Perfetti enrolled at
The Hill Academy
The Hill Academy is an independent school in Ontario, Canada, for student athletes in Grades 5 -12/PG with a focus on hockey, lacrosse and golf. It is co-ed, and serves grades 5-12.
History
The Hill Academy was founded in 2006 by the Merrill famil ...
while also playing for the Vaughan Kings of the
Greater Toronto Hockey League
The Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL), formerly known as the Metro Toronto Hockey League, is a minor level ice hockey organization based in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario. The league was founded in 1911 as the Beaches Hockey League by ...
. In the year prior to his
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
(OHL) eligibility, Perfetti led them in scoring with a total of 52 goals and 73 assists for 125 points.
As a result of his GTHL play, Perfetti was recruited to join the
University of Michigan
, mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth"
, former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821)
, budget = $10.3 billion (2021)
, endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
's men's ice hockey team for the 2018–19 season.
However, after being drafted fifth overall by the
Saginaw Spirit
The Saginaw Spirit are a major junior ice hockey team based in Saginaw, Michigan. They are members of the West Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), one of the Major Junior leagues of the Canadian Hockey Leagu ...
during the 2018 OHL
Priority selection draft, he rescinded his commitment and joined the OHL. Perfetti began his rookie campaign by scoring the first goal of the
2018–19 season in his OHL debut on September 19, 2018. As the season progressed, Perfetti continued to produce offensively and quickly surpassed Jan Mursak to set a new franchise record for most goals scored by a rookie. At the time of his record-setting goal, Perfetti also led all league rookies in goals and points through 53 games. His scoring prowess helped lead the Spirit to their 40th win of the season for the first time since 2010–11. As such, he was named one of the OHL Rookies of the Month for February. He earned this honour again in March after leading all rookies with seven goals and four assists through eight games to help the Spirit secure its first West Division title since 2011. On March 9, he became the first 16-year-old rookie to record four goals in one game since
Ryan Spooner
Ryan Bradley Spooner (born January 30, 1992) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward who is currently playing for HC Dinamo Minsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He has previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for th ...
did so in March 2009. Although Perfetti helped the Spirit qualify for the
OHL playoffs, they were eliminated in Game Seven of the Western Conference Championship Series by the
Guelph Storm
The Guelph Storm are a major junior ice hockey team based in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. They have played in the OHL since the 1991–92 season. The team plays home games at the Sleeman Centre.
History
The franchise started as the Toronto Ma ...
. He finished the regular season with 37 goals for 74 points through 63 games but lost the 2019 Rookie of The Year Award to
Quinton Byfield
Quinton Byfield (born August 19, 2002) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Byfield was selected second ...
.
As a result of his rookie season with the Spirit, Perfetti was considered a highly touted prospect for the
2020 NHL Entry Draft
The 2020 NHL Entry Draft was the 58th NHL Entry Draft, held from October 6–7, 2020. The draft was originally scheduled for June 26–27, 2020, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, but was postponed on March 25, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pan ...
by the
NHL Central Scouting Bureau The NHL Central Scouting Services (CSS) is a department within the National Hockey League that ranks prospects for the NHL Entry Draft at specific times during the hockey season. Players are ranked based on how well they will translate to the prof ...
. He returned to the Spirit for the
2019–20 season where he greatly improved on his previous seasons total. By February 2020, Perfetti recorded 102 points through 56 games to set a new franchise record while also helping them clinch a spot in the 2020 OHL Playoffs. He finished the season first on the Spirit in scoring and second in the league overall with 37 goals and 74 assists through 61 games. As a result of his play, Perfetti was named to 2019-20 OHL Second All-Star Team and ranked fourth among North American skaters eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft.
He was also named the Canadian Hockey League’s Scholastic Player of the Year after maintaining a 93 per cent academic average throughout the year.
After his selection by the
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, p ...
in the first round (10th overall) of the
2020 NHL Entry Draft
The 2020 NHL Entry Draft was the 58th NHL Entry Draft, held from October 6–7, 2020. The draft was originally scheduled for June 26–27, 2020, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, but was postponed on March 25, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pan ...
, Perfetti was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Jets on November 10, 2020.
Professional
Following the signing of his entry-level contract, Perfetti joined the Jets'
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
(AHL) affiliate, the
Manitoba Moose
The Manitoba Moose are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and a member of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team plays its home games at Canada Life Centre, the home arena of its parent club, Winnipeg Jets o ...
, for the
2020–21 season. Due to the ongoing restrictions in the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the regular season was pushed back to February 5, 2021. Perfetti subsequently made his professional debut with the Moose on February 15, 2021, in a 3–2 loss to the
Toronto Marlies
The Toronto Marlies are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a member of the North Division of the Eastern Conference. The Marlies is owned by Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, a ...
. During the game, he also scored his first professional goal. Following his debut, Perfetti tallied two goals and two assists in his first 10 professional games. He continued to produce as the season continued and was eventually honored as the CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month for April after tallying 13 points through nine games during the month. His eight goals and 15 assists overall placed him sixth among rookie scorers with 23 points. Perfetti thus became the first forward and fourth player in franchise history to earn this honor.
Perfetti finished the season with nine goals and 17 assists for 26 points to earn the teams' Rookie of the Year Award.
Perfetti made his NHL debut on October 13, 2021, against the
Anaheim Ducks. In his debut, he recorded one hit through 9:49 minutes of ice time in the eventual 4–1 loss. He played in one more game for the Jets before being assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. He later scored his first NHL goal January 18, 2022, in a loss to the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...
.
International play
Perfetti played for Team Canada White at the 2018-19 U17 World Hockey Challenge. He finished second in tournament scoring with 2 goals and 7 assists in five games.
Following his success at the U17 World Hockey Challenge, Perfetti was chosen to represent Team Canada at the
2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup
The 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup was an under-18 international ice hockey tournament that was held in Piešťany, Slovakia and Břeclav, Czech Republic from 5 to 10 August 2019 at Alcaplast Arena in Břeclav and Easton Arena in Piešťany. Team Russi ...
. During the tournament, he scored two goals and added another three goals through eight rounds of shootout to lead Team Canada to the gold medal round. He led the tournament with 12 points through five games to set a new tournament record as Canada clinched a silver medal. He was invited to participate in Team Canada's camp for the
2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships but was cut prior to the final roster decisions.
Perfetti eventually made Team Canada's junior team for the
2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (''2021 WJHC'') were the 45th edition of the Ice Hockey World Junior Championship. It began on December 25, 2020, and ended with the gold medal game on January 5, 2021. This marked the 16th time that ...
after scoring impressing the coaching staff through intrasquad games during the camp.
Perfetti made his senior international debut with
Team Canada at the
2021 IIHF World Championship
The 2021 IIHF World Championship () took place from 21 May to 6 June 2021. It was originally to be co-hosted by Minsk, Belarus and Riga, Latvia, as the IIHF announced on 19 May 2017 in Cologne, Germany. Their joint bid won by a very tight margi ...
in Latvia. During the tournament, he helped Team Canada overcome a 0-3 record by scoring two goals en route to a gold medal.
Player profile
Described as a player with a high hockey IQ, Perfetti has drawn comparisons to
Nikita Kucherov
Nikita Igorevich Kucherov (russian: Никита Игоревич Кучеров; born 17 June 1993) is a Russian professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), right winger for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). Regarded ...
by hockey pundits prior to his draft.
Craig Button
Craig J. Button (born January 3, 1963) is currently a ice hockey analyst for TSN and a former National Hockey League (NHL) executive.
Early life and hockey family
Born in Rochester, New York, Button entered the world of hockey at birth. His ...
of TSN described Perfetti as "an elite scoring left winger in the mold of New York Rangers star
Artemi Panarin
Artemi Sergeyevich Panarin (russian: Арте́мий Серге́евич Пана́рин; born 30 October 1991), nicknamed the "Breadman", or simply "Bread", is a Russian professional ice hockey winger and alternate captain for the New York ...
."
After being drafted by the Jets, general manager
Kevin Cheveldayoff
Kevin A. Cheveldayoff (born February 4, 1970) is a Canadian ice hockey executive and former player who is currently the executive vice president and general manager of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League.
Playing career
Cheveldayoff p ...
cited his playmaking, his creativeness, and his ability to manipulate defenders as reasons for drafting him, seeing it as ideal for the team.
Personal life
During the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
, Perfetti started a non-profit organization called "Fetts’ Friends" to provide meals to the Environmental Service and Supply Chain employees at
Covenant HealthCare
Saginaw () is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw and Saginaw County are both in the area known as Mid-Michigan. Saginaw is adjacent to Saginaw Charter Township and considered part of Greater ...
.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honours
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perfetti, Cole
2002 births
Living people
Canadian ice hockey centres
Manitoba Moose players
National Hockey League first-round draft picks
Sportspeople from Whitby, Ontario
Saginaw Spirit players
Winnipeg Jets draft picks
Winnipeg Jets players