Player Discussion: Cole Perfetti 10th OA pick

[gojetsgo]

dreger on insider trading said jets are leaning towards keeping him on the roster

starts @3:04
Insider Trading: Leafs open to acquiring players with term ahead of trade deadline

 

[thai jet]

This game should cement him into the Jets lineup going forward.

 

[ps241]

the pts will start coming in for perfetti. i think he's been average defensively, which is fine for a winger (esp a v young winger). not a liability, not the 2nd coming of stone or marchand which is fine. the line w/ PLD+KC is generating shot-attempts and quality chances at a v good rate....sh% is like 3%. a line with KC and PLD at 3% is uniquely low, and i don't think it is low b/c of perfettis inclusion.... good goaltending, unlucky bounces etc. the goals/pts will start coming their way.

Even as his biggest cheerleader I have been on the fence with what to do with Cole this season..

Both his primary assists last night were quality plays. I was in and out of watching the game so I didn’t really have a chance to study his defensive zone coverage but so far his foot speed hasn’t been as big of an issue as I thought it would be. Someone else said it but some guys might not skate fast but they play fast and that is what I am seeing Cole trending towards.

Average defensively playing in our top 6 is a compliment.

Team is fighting for their playoff lives and the next month is critical, with Ehlers out week to week it’s starting to look like they may need Perfetti’s skills on the top line a while longer.

As long as they keep using him in the top 6 then I am fine either way.

 

[DRW204]

Even as his biggest cheerleader I have been on the fence with what to do with Cole this season..

Both his primary assists last night were quality plays. I was in and out of watching the game so I didn’t really have a chance to study his defensive zone coverage but so far his foot speed hasn’t been as big of an issue as I thought it would be. Someone else said it but some guys might not skate fast but they play fast and that is what I am seeing Cole trending towards.

Average defensively playing in our top 6 is a compliment.

Team is fighting for their playoff lives and the next month is critical, with Ehlers out week to week it’s starting to look like they may need Perfetti’s skills on the top line a while longer.

As long as they keep using him in the top 6 then I am fine either way.

perfetti being merely average defensively is good given he's 20 years old and barely played. also think you impact the game less on the defensive end as a wing compared to c, so you can get away with being average. or as i say just not be a liability out there.

im still wary if he can become a C in the nhl. i remember dylan larkin for detroit.... played his first year on the Wing, 2nd year as a part-time C (obvious growing pains), but has been a C ever since. but larkin iirc was a little bit more built coming in, and his skating/speed is a huge strength. so perhaps we see perfetti at W this year, and then transitioned to C the following season

 

[Jet]

Even as his biggest cheerleader I have been on the fence with what to do with Cole this season..

Both his primary assists last night were quality plays. I was in and out of watching the game so I didn’t really have a chance to study his defensive zone coverage but so far his foot speed hasn’t been as big of an issue as I thought it would be. Someone else said it but some guys might not skate fast but they play fast and that is what I am seeing Cole trending towards.

Average defensively playing in our top 6 is a compliment.

Team is fighting for their playoff lives and the next month is critical, with Ehlers out week to week it’s starting to look like they may need Perfetti’s skills on the top line a while longer.

As long as they keep using him in the top 6 then I am fine either way.

Yeah, he changed my mind a bit. If someone like Vesalainen or Svechnikov stepped up and proved to be a legit top 6 guy, or Copp kept producing id say let him play out the year on a mouse team that looks poised to have some playoff success, but we really have a need for him this year and he's not disappointed at all.

 

[BoneDocUK]

TFFCP91.

Perfetti is exactly who I hoped he would be. Next-level vision and playmaking with the puck skills and shot to make pretty much anything happen, and who can pace the game and control the pace when he's on. I noticed watching him in the A just how far ahead of the play he is and how much that compensates for his (relative) deficiencies in size and speed. He's kinda like the reverse-Ehlers in that respect, and given his brain and his drive he's only going to get better, IMO.

Suure, Lundell, Raymond, Power, etc -- but Perfetti is absolutely going to contribute at their level and we are going to have a ton of fun watching him make his line mates and team better while offering up those WTF? plays like last night's Dubois feed for many game and years to come.

Love this kid.

 

[Adam da bomb]

TFFCP91.

Perfetti is exactly who I hoped he would be. Next-level vision and playmaking with the puck skills and shot to make pretty much anything happen, and who can pace the game and control the pace when he's on. I noticed watching him in the A just how far ahead of the play he is and how much that compensates for his (relative) deficiencies in size and speed. He's kinda like the reverse-Ehlers in that respect, and given his brain and his drive he's only going to get better, IMO.

Suure, Lundell, Raymond, Power, etc -- but Perfetti is absolutely going to contribute at their level and we are going to have a ton of fun watching him make his line mates and team better while offering up those WTF? plays like last night's Dubois feed for many game and years to come.

Love this kid.

His feed to Connor last night was also super nice. I thought he was our best player last night which is saying something for a rookie 6 games in. I mean, KFC also had a really strong game, but, if I was picking a player of the game for our side it would be 91.

 

[slurpee addict]

Keep him or send him down. Doesn't matter a lot IMO as there are pros and cons to both. If he stays, great, he will get better and develop sooner, but we aren't gonna win much this year. If he goes down then we are a worse team, will get a better draft pick and save a year on his entry level, but it sucks for him. If it were up to me, the entry level thing is just about money and I hate that kind of messaging to young players in an already tough market. But man is he a good player.

 

[surixon]

His feed to Connor last night was also super nice.

Yup he had the fortitude to wait out the dmen for that lane to open up and once it did he put it right on his tape.

 

[Adam da bomb]

Yup he had the fortitude to wait out the dmen for that lane to open up and once it did he put it right on his tape.

He will be, if he isn't already our best playmaker by the end of the season. I was really disappointed he wasn't on the ice when we pulled our goalie. It makes perfect sense to play him with our top goal scorer.

 

[Gm0ney]

I think Perfetti's linemates have gotten on the same page as him. Took them a few games to catch on. They're not as surprised to find the puck on their sticks in scoring position now.

 

[snowkiddin]

I will say I like the role he’s currently in better than checking on the third line with Lowry like before.

 

[BoneDocUK]

I think Perfetti's linemates have gotten on the same page as him. Took them a few games to catch on. They're not as surprised to find the puck on their sticks in scoring position now.

Absolutement.

I think that PLD and KFC deserve a shout-out for how they've helped key in on those passes and PLD for doing the extra work (not always perfectly, but whatevs) to cover for Cole when he has to as the centreman on that line. I think there's a real will to get on that same page with those three, and a good bit of the credit should go to the relative vets who have driven play and skated hard for most of the season, and continue to set a good example for Perfetti.

If rookies "imprint" on their teammates as geese do, I thank the universe that Cole was not put in a position to be "mentored" by renowned hockey nerd and 60-foot coaster Shuffles at this point in his career. Egads.

 

[ello]

Not sure if anyone else noticed but I swear the Florida PK was doing to everything to close off the passing lane from Schmidt to Perfetti in the third period, even at the cost of opening up other lanes. A true testament to his talent on the PP that Florida decided that him getting the puck was the most dangerous option out there

 

[Adam da bomb]

Absolutement.

I think that PLD and KFC deserve a shout-out for how they've helped key in on those passes and PLD for doing the extra work (not always perfectly, but whatevs) to cover for Cole when he has to as the centreman on that line. I think there's a real will to get on that same page with those three, and a good bit of the credit should go to the relative vets who have driven play and skated hard for most of the season, and continue to set a good example for Perfetti.

If rookies "imprint" on their teammates as geese do, I thank the universe that Cole was not put in a position to be "mentored" by renowned hockey nerd and 60-foot coaster Shuffles at this point in his career. Egads.

Instead he was mentored by a farm boy who lived the good life, and the Hulk.

 

[Romang67]

Not sure if anyone else noticed but I swear the Florida PK was doing to everything to close off the passing lane from Schmidt to Perfetti in the third period, even at the cost of opening up other lanes. A true testament to his talent on the PP that Florida decided that him getting the puck was the most dangerous option out there

For sure. Their PK completely changed shape to block any passing lanes to Perfetti. I've seen that to stop one-timers from dangerous shooters before, but I'm not sure I've seen such a blatant attempt to stop the puck from reaching a playmaker.

 

[Howard Chuck]

I think Perfetti's linemates have gotten on the same page as him. Took them a few games to catch on. They're not as surprised to find the puck on their sticks in scoring position now.

I thought the same thing. Case in point was that tiny little pass beside the net to Dubois, Dubois now knows to always be ready with Perfetti with the puck.

 

[Howard Chuck]

For sure. Their PK completely changed shape to block any passing lanes to Perfetti. I've seen that to stop one-timers from dangerous shooters before, but I'm not sure I've seen such a blatant attempt to stop the puck from reaching a playmaker.

That PP lineup had some glorious chances anyway. It was awesome to see such a dynamic PP.

 

[MrBoJangelz71]

TFFCP91.

Perfetti is exactly who I hoped he would be. Next-level vision and playmaking with the puck skills and shot to make pretty much anything happen, and who can pace the game and control the pace when he's on. I noticed watching him in the A just how far ahead of the play he is and how much that compensates for his (relative) deficiencies in size and speed. He's kinda like the reverse-Ehlers in that respect, and given his brain and his drive he's only going to get better, IMO.

Suure, Lundell, Raymond, Power, etc -- but Perfetti is absolutely going to contribute at their level and we are going to have a ton of fun watching him make his line mates and team better while offering up those WTF? plays like last night's Dubois feed for many game and years to come.

Love this kid.

Agree on his vision, anticipation and general hockey IQ negates any issues related to speed and size.

What I have been very impressed thus far with Cole is his puck pursuit on the forecheck and his willingness to battle physically for pucks. He has not shied away from corner battles, and has even thrown his body around to disrupt defenders. He is much more effective forechecking than Laine at his age, and even Scheif for that matter. Cole is effective at getting pucks at the age of 20, add a bit more speed and size, kid will have no problems getting OZone possession.

What is working exceptionally well between Connors and Perfetti is Connors quickness on the forecheck in conjunction with Perfetti's ability to read where the defender is going to push the puck has them getting puck possession in deep consistently. Add in PLD's size and strength along the boards, they are getting at pucks quickly and effectively.

And unlike Wheeler and Scheif, where they continually cycle down low, Perfetti/PLD and Connor all want to get the puck out of the corners and towards the net as quickly as possible.

 

[surixon]

That PP lineup had some glorious chances anyway. It was awesome to see such a dynamic PP.

Yup its what happens when you have dangerous options all over. Ok take away Cole but your giving Conner a heck of a lot more room to work with and he'll make you pay with that extra space. Dubois as a multi talented player down low and infront also creates a lot of issues as you can't jus ignore him when he gets it down low.

 

[LowLefty]

I think Perfetti's linemates have gotten on the same page as him. Took them a few games to catch on. They're not as surprised to find the puck on their sticks in scoring position now.

I think all 3 had to sort out the chemistry - it's not like one of them is driving this bus.

 

[scelaton]

Don't mean to spoil the love-in, and agree about all the great things that have been said about Perfetti...but he still needs to work on his foot speed. There is not much he can do about his size, but being quick and small is much more likely to lead to success at C. It will also help him avoid trouble and injury in both ends of the ice. As he becomes known for skill don't think opposing players won't start targeting him.

I said the same thing about Heinola in his NHL debut and got a lot of pushback, but I continue to worry about it 3 years later.

 

[buggs]

Agree on his vision, anticipation and general hockey IQ negates any issues related to speed and size.

What I have been very impressed thus far with Cole is his puck pursuit on the forecheck and his willingness to battle physically for pucks. He has not shied away from corner battles, and has even thrown his body around to disrupt defenders. He is much more effective forechecking than Laine at his age, and even Scheif for that matter. Cole is effective at getting pucks at the age of 20, add a bit more speed and size, kid will have no problems getting OZone possession.

What is working exceptionally well between Connors and Perfetti is Connors quickness on the forecheck in conjunction with Perfetti's ability to read where the defender is going to push the puck has them getting puck possession in deep consistently. Add in PLD's size and strength along the boards, they are getting at pucks quickly and effectively. And unlike Wheeler and Scheif, where they continually cycle down low, Perfetti/PLD and Connor all want to get the puck out of the corners and towards the net as quickly as possible.

My favorite Perfetti play thus far this season is viewed differently by many: Penguins game as we try to clear the zone, puck moving to the point where it is stopped by Letang. Perfetti goes right at Letang, literally boy size versus man size predicament (probably giving up 30-40 lbs), doesn't shy away from contact and gets rocked. I'm sure the video is making highlight reals vis a vis "welcome to the big league Perfetti", and rightly so. But you know what I saw? I saw an undersized kid not shy away from contact and he got the puck out of the zone. Not sure I see that play from many of the vets on this team. Heart = big.

 

[surixon]

Don't mean to spoil the love-in, and agree about all the great things that have been said about Perfetti...but he still needs to work on his foot speed. There is not much he can do about his size, but being quick and small is much more likely to lead to success at C. It will also help him avoid trouble and injury in both ends of the ice. As he becomes known for skill don't think opposing players won't start targeting him.

I said the same thing about Heinola in his NHL debut and got a lot of pushback, but I continue to worry about it 3 years later.

Yes he needs to continue to work on that. He's made strides in speed and quickness in each of the last few offseasons so I expect him to continue to improve there going forward.

 

[surixon]

My favorite Perfetti play thus far this season is viewed differently by many: Penguins game as we try to clear the zone, puck moving to the point where it is stopped by Letang. Perfetti goes right at Letang, literally boy size versus man size predicament (probably giving up 30-40 lbs), doesn't shy away from contact and gets rocked. I'm sure the video is making highlight reals vis a vis "welcome to the big league Perfetti", and rightly so. But you know what I saw? I saw an undersized kid not shy away from contact and he got the puck out of the zone. Not sure I see that play from many of the vets on this team. Heart = big.

He had 5 hits in that game. There is a level of fiestiness in his play that will be welcome into the top 6 when he matures physically.