Draft Round 1 #23: New York Rangers Select RW Gabriel Perreault (Boston College, NCAA)

[PuckLuck3043]

No- that’s entirely how not to draft effectively. He’s playing against terrible competition and doing well- that’s what he should be doing. The way to successfully select NHL bound players is to project how they will do against NHL level talent and whether their games translate well. That’s how you make successful picks because truthfully, you can’t say that just because a guy is doing something against poor competition he will do it against good competition. I could see this guys skill set doing well in the NHL but I have serious doubts if a guy who is small and slow will be able to translate his game to the NHL level.

@Synergy27- I apologize for the factual inaccuracy of how small he is. I’m not sure where I got the info he was much smaller than he actually is and my bad for not fact checking. Appreciate you pointing that out. Honestly, it makes me a little less skeptical of him physically but I’m still skeptical of the Rangers ability to develop anything.

Good lord, he is not slow. This is ridiculous. He moves pretty well from what I have seen. He doesn't have to be a speed skater. He has also improved a good deal from just last year. The guy was an A+ pick at 23. He is also 5"11 170lbs and will fill out the next 2-3 years. Most draft guys had him going between 10 and 15 for a reason. Elite hockey IQ and skill. Something tells me you are going to be eating major crow in a few years.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

What are the chances he plays for the U20 team this year?

Would be fun if his whole line made the team.

 

[NYR Viper]

What are the chances he plays for the U20 team this year?

Would be fun if his whole line made the team.

Probably VERY high

 

[ncdoc]

I think a well-designed system (especially with high IQ players) makes everyone look a lot faster. Just hope the Rangers coaching staff can implement something because we still have good talent.

 

[HFBS]

Bossy

Not sure, but I think he's still dead.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Terrible competition?

The NTDP plays a bunch of college teams and the best completion in his age group internationally lol. He produced very well against BOTH.

If setting the ALL TIME scoring record at the program is what he "should be doing" then I guess everyone else who has rolled through there have fallen below expectations.

 

[Circus86]

Will be interesting to see how fast we will ruin this kid. Also, great pick at 23.

 

[IDvsEGO]

I think a well-designed system (especially with high IQ players) makes everyone look a lot faster. Just hope the Rangers coaching staff can implement something because we still have good talent.

Considering muse came from there, I’m hoping he helps us implement that.

 

[TGWL]

but at 23 I'm happy to roll the dice on overall talent rather than "skates well but has questions about his overall offensive game"

especially when one of his best traits sounds like it's hockey IQ

I also think Laf is a pretty good skater and his issues haven't come from any skating issues. He's had trouble figuring out how to fit into a line and use his talents but if that clicks I don't think skating is going to hold him back at all

Kakko improved his skating a lot and is great with his edges and elusiveness with the puck and in tight. His issue has been developing a bit better instinct to shoot and score and make his decisions a bit faster

I still think both of those guys could show a big leap in development and ability with a more hands on coach.

Also, if he didn't have any NHL level skills Laf wouldn't have score nearly 20 goals 2 years ago and nearly 40 points this past year. It's disappointing for a #1 overall but guys who dont' have NHL level skills just...don't make the NHL and if they get a chance they don't score that much at all.

There's a lot going wrong with Laf. You can probably argue different reasons. But skating is nowhere near pretty good. His strides are awful. His turns aren't tight. He lacks edge-work. He lacks explosiveness. The issue isn't his top speed.

 

[IDvsEGO]

There's a lot going wrong with Laf. You can probably argue different reasons. But skating is nowhere near pretty good. His strides are awful. His turns aren't tight. He lacks edge-work. He lacks explosiveness. The issue isn't his top speed.

The issue is entirely his explosiveness. He doesn’t have game breaking acceleration.

He does handle the puck when moving at speed, which takes him too long to get to, which is the problem.

 

[613Hockey]

Gabriel Perreault it is. Heading to BC in the fall.

Gabe Perreault - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Gabe Perreault, 2005-05-07 Sherbrooke, QC, CAN USA. Most recently in the NCAA with Boston College. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

Ranked #14 by CONSOLIDATED RANKING
Ranked #18 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #14 by FCHOCKEY
Ranked #11 by FLOHOCKEY/CHRIS PETERS
Ranked #17 by DAILY FACEOFF
Ranked #18 by THE HOCKEY NEWS
Ranked #10 by TSN/BOB McKENZIE
Ranked #21 by MCKEEN'S HOCKEY
Ranked #15 by TSN/CRAIG BUTTON
Ranked #10 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
Ranked #19 by SPORTSNET
Ranked #20 by HPR/SHANE MALLOY
Ranked #21 by RECRUIT SCOUTING
Ranked #24 by DOBBERPROSPECTS
Ranked #18 by DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY
Ranked #27 by SMAHT SCOUTING

Good pick, skating is a work in progress but definitely fixable. His timeline fits what the Rangers are putting together.

 

[NickyFotiu]

There's a lot going wrong with Laf. You can probably argue different reasons. But skating is nowhere near pretty good. His strides are awful. His turns aren't tight. He lacks edge-work. He lacks explosiveness. The issue isn't his top speed.

Top speed is okay but he needs a long windup to get to top speed where guys with good speed are near top after many less strides. Laf needs to work on stop and start acceleration all summer imo.

 

[TGWL]

Top speed is okay but he needs a long windup to get to top speed where guys with good speed are near top after many less strides. Laf needs to work on stop and start acceleration all summer imo.

Yeah, for me it's everything but his top speed that isn't good enough.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Yeah, for me it's everything but his top speed that isn't good enough.

Watching Hughes was amazing for me. He seemed to get near top speed in 3 strides. He seemed to be creating space in 2 strides.

 

[offdacrossbar]

When did you start typing with capitals?

Haha good catch.

 

[Rempe73]

Islander’s fan coming in peace again. Don’t worry about his skating. That can be worked on. You can’t teach hands, you can’t teach hockey IQ. Perreault has all of those in spades.

Listen, John Tavares came into the league as a poor skater, he worked on it, and is on his way to 1,000 points. Anders Lee was a poor skater, he’s had 6 seasons with 25+ goals. There’s been dozens of good players that don’t skate like McDavid (nobody does, but you get my drift).

Appreciate it, but you need more than average speed as a smaller player these days. The exception is if the small player has truly elite skill.

I think skating can be worked on, but not nearly as much as people think. At a certain point, it’s genetics. I could spend my whole life training to run as fast as possible, but I would never get near Usain Bolt.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Appreciate it, but you need more than average speed as a smaller player these days. The exception is if the small player has truly elite skill.

I think skating can be worked on, but not nearly as much as people think. At a certain point, it’s genetics. I could spend my whole life training to run as fast as possible, but I would never get near Usain Bolt.

Yeah this is not an accurate equivalency lol.

You aren't a pro level athlete with a ton of physical maturation ahead of you. Genetics plays a role in capping your ceiling but we're not talking about a player who is physically maxed out already and he already has an okay base to work with.

Short area quickness? Yeah thats hard to work on and its one of those things that you usually have or you don't. Posture/technique and power? Those things can definitely be improved.

He'll likely never have elite wheels but he doesn't need them.

 

[rangersfansince08]

What is his ceiling? PPG?

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Does anyone know why the prospect board was so low on him even before he was drafted? Seems to be getting a lot of hate.

 

[Rempe73]

Yeah this is not an accurate equivalency lol.

You aren't a pro level athlete with a ton of physical maturation ahead of you. Genetics plays a role in capping your ceiling but we're not talking about a player who is physically maxed out already and he already has an okay base to work with.

Short area quickness? Yeah thats hard to work on and its one of those things that you usually have or you don't. Posture/technique and power? Those things can definitely be improved.

He'll likely never have elite wheels but he doesn't need them.

I agree with all of that. Good point.

 

[Draft Guru]

If Yzerman walked up on stage last night and announced Perreault at 9th overall, nobody would have batted an eye. The pick would have been widely praised.

After the big 4 this draft was wide open. When teams reach, some guys have to drop. Some teams are going to look incredibly smart in 5 years, while others are going to look awfully stupid.

Perreault was incredible value at 23. You take it and run. But now the real work starts. It's on the Rangers, and BC, to develop this kid to get him ready for the next level. I don't want to see this kid rushed. Let him cook. Kreider spent 3 years at BC, we can afford to do the same with Perreault.

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

For the next min or so of this video. My god does this kid have hands and he is creative

 

[JoeGarelli]

Why is a kid from Quebec playing for the USA national developmental team?

 

[Levitate]

Does anyone know why the prospect board was so low on him even before he was drafted? Seems to be getting a lot of hate.

Seems like maybe in his D-1 year he was smaller weaker and worse skater and not nearly as productive
Combine that with people wondering if his line mates are carrying him

I dunno for sure though

 

[stan the caddy]

We got lucky that he fell to us. Thank god they didn't try to think outside the box.