The Winnipeg Jets and Cole Perfetti have finally come to an agreement on a two-year bridge contract worth $6.5 million ($3.25 average annual value). The deal comes after months of intense, yet amicable, discussions.
On Monday evening, the team announced that the extended contract dispute with Perfetti had been resolved, settling on a bridge deal to keep him in Winnipeg for at least two more seasons. The resolution comes after weeks of reports that both sides were unable to agree on terms and value, causing the young forward to miss the beginning of training camp and the start of preseason action.
Related: Ville Heinolaās Recent Injury Leaves Winnipeg Jets With New Problems
This was just one of the many storylines that were trending over the summer, with many wondering which route the Jets would take with his contract. With that answered, the focus can shift to what Perfetti will do in this two-year term and whether the Jets should have opted for a long-term deal.
Perfetti Needs to Get Up to Speed
The real problem with this dragging into mid-September is how Perfetti, regardless of his training regimen, will get up to game speed in less time. This is especially important given that he has a lot to prove after an up-and-down 2023-24 season.
The longer the contract saga went on, the more it hurt Perfetti in terms of risking a slow start. Head coach Scott Arniel has spoken at length about how important it is for the 22-year-old to be a key part of the Jets’ top six, but it is up to Perfetti to earn and run with that spot.
Now, he’s pencilled into that second-line right-wing spot beside Nikolaj Ehlers and Vladislav Namestnikov, a spot that has been occupied by Alex Iafallo so far in training camp. He should also have the opportunity on the top power-play unit, especially with his fantastic passing ability. If that is how it shakes out, anticipate his $3.25 million to seem like a bargain.
Jets Choose Bridge Over Long-Term
Rumours were flying for the better part of two months that the Perfetti camp had come around on the idea of staying in Winnipeg for the long haul, a rarity for the club over the past several years. The market has struggled to convince their young players to remain for more than they need to, but Perfetti seemed willing to stay.
The better question is if it was worth taking a risk on the bridge deal over the longer term, as Perfetti seems primed for a breakout after scoring 19 goals last season. If he does perform up to expectation, that number is going to be a lot higher at the end of his two-year deal.
A long-term contract didn’t seem like an option for the Jets, which is strange given that few of their young, talented players have shown a willingness to commit to long-term deals. The likely hang-up is Perfetti’s injury history, as last season was his first full campaign. That said, at what point do the Jets make the concession that sometimes that long-term risk is worth it to help change the perception of the market and to reward the players who want to be in Winnipeg?
