Winnipeg Jets rookie Cole Perfetti lands on IR

Winnipeg Jets announced Tuesday afternoon that they would be without rookie forward Cole Perfetti for at least seven days after being sent the IR.

The 21-year-old first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, 10th overall, suffered an upper-body injury in Sunday’s 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils before sitting out Monday’s 4-1 victory over the New York Rangers.

Perfetti missed time earlier this season with an upper-body injury and was limited to 18 games in the NHL in 2021/22 also due to an upper-body injury; no word if the damage on Sunday is related to either of his past injuries.

Playing 18 games last season allows him to be in the Calder Trophy conversation for NHL rookie of the year in 2022/23. In a top-6 role, he has eight goals, 22 assists, and 30 points in 51 games this season.

In a corresponding move, Winnipeg recalled Axel Jonsson-Fjällby from the Manitoba Moose as an emergency recall. He was sent to Manitoba after clearing waivers last week. In four games with the Moose, Jonsson-Fjällby had four points (3G, 1A).

Jonsson-Fjällby, 25, was picked off waivers by the Jets on October 10, 2002. A fifth-round (147th overall) by the Washington Capitals in the 2016 NHL draft, he appeared in 45 games with Winnipeg before his recent demotion to the AHL.

Winnipeg sits second in the Central Division and third in the Western Conference before Tuesday night’s NHL action.

With the #NHLTradeDeadline 10 days away and 2022 Stanley Cup Champions Colorado Avalanche starting to climb the Central Division standings and potentially being a first-round opponent for Winnipeg in the NHL playoffs, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff can’t afford to sit idle and wait if Perfetti were to miss an extended time.

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