WINNIPEG -- Cole Perfetti has been waiting for this opportunity, the chance to be a big part of the Winnipeg Jets' potential run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The forward said he's enjoying it.
"I think you see the physicality, the speed," Perfetti said. "There's not a lot of time and space out there. You have to make your mind up quick, make decisions quickly. You're not getting the puck as much just because everything's happening so fast, and it's on and off your stick."
The 23-year-old has yet to score against the St. Louis Blues in the Western Conference First Round but will keep looking for chances in Game 5 at Canada Life Centre on Wednesday (9:30 p.m. ET; CBC, TVAS, SN, ESPN, FDSNMW).
Perfetti has two assists in the best-of-7 series, which is tied 2-2. The closest he came to his first NHL postseason goal came in Game 3 when Blues goalie Jordan Binnington made a glove save with part of his glove being beyond the goal line. It was ruled no goal on the ice and upheld after video review.
Jets coach Scott Arniel said Perfetti isn't frustrated by the lack of production after the latter had an NHL career-high 50 points (18 goals, 32 assists) in 82 regular-season games.
"The big thing about him is that he really doesn't get down on himself; if he knows he's getting chances, he knows he's in there doing the right things," Arniel said. "Hopefully, maybe that happens tomorrow, and he gets that first one and [he's] off and running, but I like a lot of what he's doing.
"He's not a big-body man (5-foot-11, 185 pounds), but man, he's playing on the inside, he's going to the net. He's creating his own opportunities."
The No. 10 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, Perfetti has 125 points (47 goals, 78 assists) in 222 games for the Jets, including 38 points (19 goals, 19 assists) in 71 games last season.
But when the playoffs rolled around, he got caught up in a numbers game after the Jets acquired Tyler Toffoli in a trade with the New Jersey Devils on March 8, 2024. Toffoli is a steady, proven goal-scorer and Stanley Cup winner with the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, so it was understandable Winnipeg opted to go with him in the playoffs over the inexperienced Perfetti.
Still, it was tough news to take.
"It was hard," Perfetti said. "You're there all year and then kind of down the stretch, started to get taken out of the lineup -- you're not with the group anymore as much and not playing and battling with each guy. It was hard, but I think it was good for learning. Going through that experience as a young guy, seeing what it's all about and learning how to deal with it, I think it was good for me in hindsight."
Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff said Perfetti handled the situation well and was a better player this season because of it.
"It's just the maturity as a player, as a person," Cheveldayoff said. "He used to sweat the little things all the time and you could see him wear it all the time. You learn over the course of time that a season doesn't have a smooth trajectory. You're going to have ups and downs, and it takes a mature player to start to understand that."
Perhaps Perfetti looked at the situation as a challenge. Jets assistant Marty Johnston said Perfetti likes and has overcome obstacles, from getting physically stronger and faster to going to the tougher areas of the ice. Johnston also coached him with Manitoba of the American Hockey League from 2020-22.
"I think we see now he's a playoff player," Johnston said. "He's willing to go on the inside and he's winning wall battles. That's a product of experience but also a product of physical maturity.
"He's done a really good job in those areas that don't always equate to point production. There's a trust that he and both Scott have with each other to be able to make those plays and have the ice time that he has and be put in the positions offensively, but it's because of the work he does away from the puck now."
Perfetti has learned to deal with the ups and downs of the NHL. It's gotten him prepared to play at this stage.
"If we're talking about him this whole season, his first two pro years he never got to play in the second half of the year," Arniel said. "Then the heavy hockey, kind of the playoff-type of stuff, last year he didn't get much experience at it. He's kind of living it now, so he's done a fantastic job throughout the 82 games of getting better and better and playing in the heavy games, playing in the fast games."
