Cole Perfetti Signs $30 Million Extension with Jets. Here’s Why That Matters Now.

The Winnipeg Jets locked up a key piece of their future on Monday, agreeing to a five-year extension with forward Cole Perfetti worth $6 million per season. TSN’s Danielle Bain broke the news, calling it an excellent signing for a player who genuinely wants to stay in Winnipeg long-term.

Perfetti, 22, quietly put together a solid season in 2024-25. He posted 32 points and 20 penalty minutes across 68 games while logging a career-high 15:37 of ice time per night. The year before that was even better statistically. He set career highs in points and assists over a full 82-game schedule, then scored the latest tying goal in a Game 7 in NHL history during the playoffs. That goal helped the Jets knock off the St. Louis Blues in the first round.

What This Means for the Jets’ Roster

The deal gives Winnipeg some stability at forward. Perfetti is versatile enough to play center or wing, and he’s still young enough that his best years are probably ahead of him. The cap hit is reasonable too. $6 million for a top-six forward who hasn’t hit his ceiling yet? That’s not a bad bet.

But the Jets aren’t done yet. There’s been persistent chatter that they’re looking to trade for goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. And no, that’s not a typo. Hellebuyck already plays for Winnipeg. The confusion comes from the fact that the Jets have been linked to him in trade rumors for months. Mike McIntyre of the Winnipeg Free Press laid it out bluntly: the writing is on the wall. He pointed to the team letting Eric Comrie walk in free agency and then signing Stuart Skinner to a two-year, $7.5 million deal as clear signs that Hellebuyck’s time in Winnipeg is almost certainly over.

Skinner is a capable starter. He’s made at least 50 starts every year of his NHL career. But he’s not Hellebuyck, who is a Vezina Trophy winner and one of the best goalies in the league. If the Jets move on from Hellebuyck, they’re basically betting that Skinner can hold the fort while the rest of the roster improves. Perfetti’s extension is part of that bet. You lock up young talent now, hope they grow into stars, and try to build something sustainable around them.

The Jets finished second-to-last in the Central Division last season with a 35-35 record. That’s not good enough. But with Perfetti locked in and some roster moves still possible this summer, there’s at least a path toward being better. Whether they take it depends on what happens with Hellebuyck and how quickly their young guys develop.