Cheveldayoff thrilled to select Perfetti at 10th overall

WINNIPEG -With the franchise entering its 10th season and holding the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, the Winnipeg Jets and general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff paid tribute to the family of the late Dale Hawerchuk in the draft's first round.
Hawerchuk, who wore number 10 for nine seasons with the Jets from 1981 to 1990 recording 929 points, passed away from stomach cancer in August. So, instead of having Cheveldayoff - in his 10th draft as the Jets GM - make the selection, Hawerchuk's wife, Crystal, called out the name of the newest member of the organization: Cole Perfetti.
"Just a real special moment," said Cheveldayoff. "The way the stars aligned in our 10th year, when we had the opportunity for the 10th pick, we had the idea that who better to make it than the greatest number 10 in the Winnipeg Jets history?
"When we talked to her and the family, the raw emotion, it just felt so special."

Cheveldayoff sees something special in Perfetti as well.
The 18-year-old from Whitby, Ontario had 111 points with the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League in 2019-20, becoming the first Saginaw player to do so since 2008.
The offensive numbers the centre put up stand out for sure, but Cheveldayoff and his scouts see much more than that.
"Everyone raved about his hockey IQ and his intelligence. The work that we'd done away from those meetings as well, people raved about his character," Cheveldayoff said. "As an organization when you get an opportunity to draft high-character players that are talented like he is, it's something you're very excited about."
So excited that when the fifth-ranked North American skater according to NHL Central Scouting is still available at 10th overall, you lock that pick in quick and make it official as soon as possible.
"I might have sprinted to the podium," Cheveldayoff said with a grin. "When we knew that we were going to be selecting in the top 10 we felt pretty good about it. As the draft went on we felt even better about it."
Nine of the 10 first round picks the Jets have made since their first draft in 2011 have played NHL games. Cheveldayoff credits the players themselves for putting in the work to make that happen, but he also nods to the fact the team has had very little turnover in scouting staff since 2011 as well.
"Every organization has their own philosophy and how they're going to do it," said Cheveldayoff. "Over the course of time for us, how we build our lists and how we build our list, has worked out well. That adds to the level of excitement."

Those lists are sacred to teams, but a trend sure seems to be emerging on the Jets side.
Perfetti was named the OHL's Scholastic Player of the Year this season and was also given the nod nationally in the same category. He joins Josh Morrissey, Adam Lowry, and Nelson Nogier - who won the WHL's Scholastic Player of the Year in 2013, 2010, and 2014 respectively - as players within the organization who have earned that award.
They're not alone though, Cheveldayoff also won the same trophy in 1988, following his second season with the Brandon Wheat Kings.
"It speaks a lot to these guys and their dedication to who they are and what they want to become," said Cheveldayoff. "We have two such high-character players in our organization who have been big parts of who we are and what we do. I think it shows his dedication and speaks to his knowledge and thirst for knowledge."
What has also been consistent in the Jets organization is the willingness to allow prospects to develop at their own pace. Cheveldayoff said Perfetti will have that same experience, but knows the OHL Second Team All-Star will do all he can to make the decision difficult for the Jets come training camp.
"He's had an ability to work a lot during the pause and COVID situation with respect to being able to skate," said Cheveldayoff. "He's a determined person, he's a determined player. I have no doubt that he's going to be pushing to make some tough decisions for us sooner rather than later."

For now, Cheveldayoff is focused on the immediate future, which is Rounds 2-7 of the Draft, which go on Wednesday.
Winnipeg has three picks at 40th, 133rd, and 164th overall.
"Things happen a lot faster in the second through seventh rounds. The picks come quicker, there are maybe opportunities for people calling on trades, stuff like that," Cheveldayoff said. "We'll get back on a video call tomorrow morning with our scouts, talk about things that happened in the first round, and set out a plan for pick 40 tomorrow and see where other things may come up with respect to other picks."