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The Winnipeg Jets were already in the market for a forward ahead of next week's NHL trade deadline. With the latest Cole Perfetti injury news, however, the Jets may be in the market for two.
Perfetti will miss at least the next eight weeks, according to Winnipeg head coach Rick Bowness. That timeline sets him up to return just four days prior to the end of the regular season.
Perfetti has enjoyed a promising rookie season for the Jets this season. He was third in the NHL for rookie scoring, with eight goals and 30 points in 51 games in his debut campaign.
Perfetti also missed the last few months of last season due to an upper-body injury. However, Bowness clarified that this upper-body injury is separate from the one that kept him out at the end of last season.
Perfetti will not affect the Jets' salary cap situation that much. He is making less than $1 million in salary on his entry-level contract. However, as mentioned earlier, his absence could affect the team's trade deadline plans.
Bowness clearly wants his top-six playing with a bit more of an edge. Perfetti had seen his minutes shaved as of late as the team attempted to adapt to that desire. With Perfetti gone, they now only have two-thirds of their top six sorted out.
Winnipeg has been linked as of late with San Jose Sharks forward Timo Meier. Meier, a highly sought-after power forward, is everything the Jets are looking for. The coming days will tell whether Winnipeg can pull a deal off ahead of the March 3 NHL trade deadline.
