​Jets’ Cole Perfetti move may help in a Sabres trade for Connor Hellebuyck originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.It’s still unclear whether Connor Hellebuyck will be traded by the Winnipeg Jets, either to the Buffalo Sabres or elsewhere.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut in the meantime, the Jets are taking care of other business.On Wednesday, they reached a five-year contract agreement with Cole Perfetti, avoiding arbitration by getting to a deal before the scheduled hearing.And while that doesn’t immediately seem to have anything to do with Hellebuyck, Perfetti actually has a connection to the Sabres.Perfetti played with Sabres center Ryan McLeod in the OHL.McLeod is a player who could be a logical piece as part of a return package for Hellebuyck.”Ryan McLeod would be a more reasonable target and has already dominated alongside Jets forward Cole Perfetti,” The Athletic’s Murat Ates wrote in a new article on Wednesday. “The 26-year-old playmaking center played with Perfetti on the Saginaw Spirit’s top line during their OHL playoff run in 2019. Jack Quinn and Peyton Krebs may each have appeal, too, but wouldn’t represent the same kind of home run swing. A return of McLeod and a substantial secondary piece could be viewed as a success.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMORE:How a 3-team Dylan Larkin, Jason Robertson trade could workIn reality, Perfetti wasn’t going to be moved elsewhere this offseason anyway. An arbitration hearing would’ve just been a harsher version of reaching a similar contract agreement to the one he got anyway.It still fits the picture, though, as the Hellebuyck rumors continue and McLeod’s name gets mentioned. The Jets have likely already made Perfetti pretty happy with this contract. If they went and got McLeod, it may be an even better deal for him.Of course, there’s a whole team to keep happy, not just one player. But if Winnipeg trades Hellebuyck, it’ll need some way to keep morale up, and maybe McLeod’s past connection could help do that.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement7-foot-1 draft pick is impossibly tallCale Makar is about to become a lot more expensiveSidney Crosby trade plans did a 180 for the PenguinsIt’s time to ask a serious Matthew Knies questionOilers’ Frederik Andersen signing is a massive bargain