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Cole Perfetti Has the Perfect Blend of Skill and Intellect

Cole Perfetti is a very talented center who should go in the top five of the upcoming 2020 NHL Draft. He had an incredible 74 assists in 61 games for the Saginaw Spirit. He might not get back to the postseason, even though his team was good enough, the coronavirus has gotten in the way, for now, but he will soon have his day.

“Going into this year, I never expected to have 111 at this point and be on such a successful team. Have the year that I’ve had so far, and have it click the way that it has. I wanted to come in this year and bring my best and prove to the scouts and everyone watching why to pick me,” Perfetti stated.

It’s hard to say exactly where a player gets his hockey acumen from. Hockey I.Q. is so important in today’s NHL and this prospect has “it”. You can see that every time he steps foot on the ice. He does watch players in games and on YouTube. But after some digging, it seems like his education plays a big part in this part of his game.

“I think some of it has to do with being smart. I take great pride in my schooling. I’ve always achieved good grades. That kind of helps the quick thinking come across,” Perfetti said honestly.

After some digging and trying to figure out if he had a nerdy side, he remembered about a math competition that would make any honor student jealous.

“In grade 9, at a private school in Toronto we had the Waterloo math contest I scored a top 25% in the world of the people who took it on that exam. That math contest is the nerdiest thing about me.”

Now the bigger question is, can you apply geometry to the game of hockey?

“I can think it can help with the angles and reading plays. A lot of times in a math test you’re forced to think differently or outside the box, every problem is different in their own way. I kind of think like that on the ice. Just handling each situation differently and handling it the best way,” said Perfetti.

Many pundits have Perfetti poised to go shortly after the third pick in the draft. The Whitby, Ontario native isn’t shy about where he stands concerning the draft.

“It’s not necessarily how high you go but where you go,” Perfetti opined. “If you go to the right team for you is more important than being the higher pick. I want to get drafted as high as possible. Whatever team picks me, they are going to have the right fit for me. It’s going to be an awesome day and I can’t wait.”

Sometimes a good tournament can help a player. In the 2019-20 Hlinka, he had eight goals and 12 points in five games. He was a big reason Team Canada won a Silver medal.

“My stick was on fire, I guess. Things were just finding the back of the net,” he answered and then went into great detail about how that affected his play this year. “Last year I was kind of hesitant, didn’t want to hold on to pucks as long as I do this year. I just came in with that confidence coming off the Hlinka the year before. I kind of just rolled with it.”

When players hear their name at the draft. Magical things happen, and usually, some tears are shed. Sometimes players get embarrassed in a good way.

“There’s going to be a lot of people there, my family, close friends, I have a great support group. People who really support me and my family. It’s been a long road so far and I’ve made a lot of friendships along the way. It’s going to be a crazy day but I’m just grateful to have the love and support of all these people,” he revealed. “It’s been a long road and my parents have sacrificed so much. My whole family. My sister and two parents sacrificed a lot for me to be in this spot. I think one of them might cry, I’m not sure who it will be. I definitely won’t be embarrassed at all.”

This prospect can play and he’s very mature at this young age. He has a pro shot. He was just over 58% on draws in the early part of the season. His skating is terrific. He’s very well rounded and GMs love that.

Russ_Cohen
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