Jets and Cole Perfetti Ink Two-Year Bridge Deal for $6.5m

Summary:

• Winnipeg Jets and RFA Cole Perfetti signed a two-year contract at $6.5 million.
• The player will earn $3 million this season and $3.5 million in 2025-26. 
• He could become an RFA with arbitration rights in the summer of 2026.

As confirmed by TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger, the 1999-founded franchise the Winnipeg Jets decided to re-sign restricted free agent (RFA) forward Cole Perfetti to a two-year contract valued at a whopping $6.5 million. 

The bridge deal, which carries an average annual value (AAV) of $3.25 million, ends one of the longest-running stalemates with an RFA in the NHL this season.

29 Goals and 46 Assists in 140 Regular-Season Games

The 22-year-old Whitby, Ontario native who proudly represented his country at the 2021 World Championship where he recorded two goals and took home a gold medal, is coming off a three-year, entry-level contract that he signed in November 2020 after being drafted 10th overall by the Jets in the 2020 NHL Draft. 

The 5-foot-11 center who also represented Canada at the 2021 World Juniors where he scored two goals and brought in six points for a silver medal had a busy last season, registering 19 goals and 38 points across 71 games last season. 

He only played a single game in the Jets’ first-round playoff loss to the Colorado Avalanche. In total, Perfetti has 75 points (29 goals, 46 assists) in 140 regular-season games, and zero points in one Stanley Cup Playoff game.

Lack of Arbitration Rights, a “Sticking Point” in Negotiations 

The agreement was reached after what sources described as a relatively quiet weekend of negotiations. 

Reports suggest that Winnipeg’s initial offer was significantly below the $3.25 million AAV they ultimately agreed to. 

While Ottawa’s Shane Pinto (two years, $3.75 million AAV) and New Jersey’s Dawson Mercer (three years, $4 million AAV) were floated as comparables, the Jets held firm on their position. 

Jets general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff acknowledged the challenges involved in the negotiation, particularly given that Perfetti, as an RFA, lacked arbitration rights. 

There are different levels of contract negotiations in this league. RFAs coming out of their first contract generally don’t have arbitration rights, and that becomes a sticking point sometimes. When players do have arbitration and they file, there’s a deadline and there’s a mechanism in place that contracts follow and you work towards that.

Perfetti missed the first six days of training camp but is now set to rejoin the team. 

He will earn $3 million this season and $3.5 million in 2025-26. Perfetti is also expected to become an RFA with arbitration rights in the summer of 2026.

Cole Perfetti did not hold arbitration rights and was coming off a tough third season in Winnipeg after being healthy scratched 11 times in the second half of the season, and missing all but one of Winnipeg’s five playoff games for the same reason.