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

[GAGLine]

I dont really see how you can go from a line with two other top 10 nhl picks, and lose them, and assume that his stats go up.
I’d like to see him get bigger and a little faster, but losing two top players of that level isn’t gonna help.

Hagens is that level, if not higher. Dean Letourneau is also a BC commit, though he may not start until 2025-26. That hasn't been determined yet, I don't think.

I think we can expect Gabe to be better next year simply due to being a year older, more experienced, and stronger. Whether that leads to higher production, who knows. If he stays healthy, he has a very good chance to end up with more points, even if his points per game dips a bit.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I dont really see how you can go from a line with two other top 10 nhl picks, and lose them, and assume that his stats go up.
I’d like to see him get bigger and a little faster, but losing two top players of that level isn’t gonna help.

Agreed, and make it 3 players (cutter) when talking about the elite PP unit he is on.

 

[bhamill]

I dont really see how you can go from a line with two other top 10 nhl picks, and lose them, and assume that his stats go up.
I’d like to see him get bigger and a little faster, but losing two top players of that level isn’t gonna help.

You kind of gave tne recipe for his stats being able to go up… physically he’s still like a boy among men. Gets a little bigger, a little stronger, a little faster? It could happen easily. I’m with @GAGLine though, I think it’s more important for him to round out his game. IQ translates. Those puck skills translate. It’s not much of a question of whether he will score at the NHL level, it’s “how much?” But we don’t want him to be a Zegras level liability on the defensive side of the puck. Even if he reaches his “elite” ceiling.

 

[IDvsEGO]

You kind of gave tne recipe for his stats being able to go up… physically he’s still like a boy among men. Gets a little bigger, a little stronger, a little faster? It could happen easily. I’m with @GAGLine though, I think it’s more important for him to round out his game. IQ translates. Those puck skills translate. It’s not much of a question of whether he will score at the NHL level, it’s “how much?” But we don’t want him to be a Zegras level liability on the defensive side of the puck. Even if he reaches his “elite” ceiling.

He put up huge offensive numbers because he was on a line with two guys who were top 10 picks, AND he'd played with them for what 3-4 years straight?
He might be forced to do more himself this season, but that doesn't mean his numbers go up. That implies his numbers will go down. Less passing options, more attention from defenseman, it'll be a good thing because it'll force him to be creative and dominate the line in a way he didnt with Smith and Leonard. Look at Pastranak on boston, losing Bergeron didnt make his numbers go up, they went down. Thats how it works.

 

[bhamill]

He put up huge offensive numbers because he was on a line with two guys who were top 10 picks, AND he'd played with them for what 3-4 years straight?
He might be forced to do more himself this season, but that doesn't mean his numbers go up. That implies his numbers will go down. Less passing options, more attention from defenseman, it'll be a good thing because it'll force him to be creative and dominate the line in a way he didnt with Smith and Leonard. Look at Pastranak on boston, losing Bergeron didnt make his numbers go up, they went down. Thats how it works.

I think with his own maturation in tandem with Hagens coming in, that you have a wash right there even if Smith and Leonard both leave. And possibly his scoring even goes up. Not saying it WILL, but it would be ZERO shock to me. And maybe you don’t agree, but I saw GP as the straw that stirred the drink all year. I think Smith and Leonard would miss Gabe more than the other way around. GP has elite IQ. He’ll adjust to the strengths and weaknesses of whomever they put him with and Hagens is NO JOKE.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I think with his own maturation in tandem with Hagens coming in, that you have a wash right there even if Smith and Leonard both leave. And possibly his scoring even goes up. Not saying it WILL, but it would be ZERO shock to me. And maybe you don’t agree, but I saw GP as the straw that stirred the drink all year. I think Smith and Leonard would miss Gabe more than the other way around. GP has elite IQ. He’ll adjust to the strengths and weaknesses of whomever they put him with and Hagens is NO JOKE.

Hagens is in the running for a top 3 pick, so yeah. Definitely no joke.

I’m just so curious to see Perrault away from Leonard and Smith. I really want to see how he handles that change. It’ll be significant for him.

He put up huge offensive numbers because he was on a line with two guys who were top 10 picks, AND he'd played with them for what 3-4 years straight?
He might be forced to do more himself this season, but that doesn't mean his numbers go up. That implies his numbers will go down. Less passing options, more attention from defenseman, it'll be a good thing because it'll force him to be creative and dominate the line in a way he didnt with Smith and Leonard. Look at Pastranak on boston, losing Bergeron didnt make his numbers go up, they went down. Thats how it works.

Agreed. Though I will say that IF his numbers go up, you’re looking at a top 5-10 prospect in the entire league at that point.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

He put up huge offensive numbers because he was on a line with two guys who were top 10 picks, AND he'd played with them for what 3-4 years straight?
He might be forced to do more himself this season, but that doesn't mean his numbers go up. That implies his numbers will go down. Less passing options, more attention from defenseman, it'll be a good thing because it'll force him to be creative and dominate the line in a way he didnt with Smith and Leonard. Look at Pastranak on boston, losing Bergeron didnt make his numbers go up, they went down. Thats how it works.

Agreed. The way these guys have played as a unit in all situations over multiple programs and years makes it tough to evaluate them individually. Almost a Sedin twins situation. I think the scenario you describe would be a great think for GP's development even if it results in an HF Boards existential crisis.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Agreed. The way these guys have played as a unit in all situations over multiple programs and years makes it tough to evaluate them individually. Almost a Sedin twins situation. I think the scenario you describe would be a great think for GP's development even if it results in an HF Boards existential crisis.

Absolutely. Im hoping for growth at the individual level with a potential decrease in points

 

[bleedblue94]

How do you define “raise his level even more”?
Perreault stats this year have been phenomenal by any means. Even if all other elite prospects he’s been playing with would stay it’s difficult to image a repeat. If they leave? Even more unlikely to the point of safety placing bets against.

Stats aren't everything, and a player can put up elite stats more easily when playing with other elite players. Top players that can do more with less are those that have another level. If Gabe can dominate D1 again without the supporting cast that he has now then I think it would be more impressive than doing it with the roster he has right now. Pretty self explanitory

 

[Wieters]

The people rooting for Gabe to be the hero on next year's team BC team are going to wind up disappointed. It's Boston College hockey, there's always going to be elite talent around him. Next year's class has Hagens/Stiga coming in, who are linemates and first and third on the USNTDP in points. Hagens is likely going to go higher in the draft than Gauthier or Smith. And there's no guarantee that Smith and Leonard decide to leave.

Maybe Smith/Leonard leave and Perrault gets put on the line without Hagens/Stiga the way Cutter Gauthier was put on a the non-Perrault/Smith/Leonard line this year. But I don't think the evaluation of Gabe should wait for such a specific hypothetical.

 

[noncents]

Pronman, in new article about '23 draft:

Perreault had a great draft-eligible season. He put up huge numbers, dazzled with his skill and playmaking and was a part of one of the best U.S. NTDP lines in recent history. Most scouts thought he would go around 10th overall, some thought he’d go close to 15th, but some thought he may not even be a top-20 pick. The latter ended up being true. Perreault went 23rd overall.

I see the comments from our Rangers readers when I point out that Perreault’s skating is an issue, especially for a 5-11 wing, but there’s a reason why the U.S NTDP single-season points record holder didn’t go in the top-20 picks. You can argue, though, that the issue may have been slightly overblown going into the draft.

Perreault promptly became one of the best offensive players in college as a freshman. That he translated his offense so well into college despite his feet gives confidence in how he’s going to continue to play up levels as he develops. His skill and hockey sense may just be elite enough that he becomes a true top scorer in the NHL despite his limitations.

Perreault’s detractors may say they didn’t learn anything new this season. That a player who was a dominant junior alongside Will Smith and Ryan Leonard was somewhat expected to dominate with the same players in college. It’s when he gets to playing grown men that the problems will arise. That may be true, but I don’t see a ton of differences between Perreault and Cole Perfetti. You can have reasonable discussions about exactly how high-end a prospect Perfetti is currently, but he’s in the NHL and contributing to a team bound for the playoffs.

Twenty-third was probably too harsh on Perreault at the time of the draft, and especially with what we’ve learned since against better players. He looks like a top-15 pick at the least and a potential top-six wing in the NHL.


potential top 6 wing???

 

[mas0764]

Are we overrating him?

 

[eco's bones]

I'm not a fan of Pronman's but he said 'at least'. Perreault's not a guy that's made to be a bottom liner. What he has is a sixth sense hockey IQ and the kind of stick skills and puck movement ability that kind of remind me of Marc Savard but maybe the closest comparable on the Rangers is Adam Fox. Fox isn't like the fastest guy either.

 

[n8]

Top 6 is fair and still wonderful. At his point in development, we should not be expecting him to be a 100 point player. A career 60 point player would be pretty damned fantastic but I'd temper even that. I imagine we're gonna have to wait like 4 more years to see something like that.

 

[bhamill]

Are we overrating him?

Well I’m thinking his floor is a second line scoring depth winger and his ceiling is elite level. If anyone is saying he’s a sure fire NHL star then IMO they are overrating. Which I could also say about Smith and 99.9% of college star players being called sure fire NHL stars.
Pronman was still on about him having poor skating when we’ve all seen that is not the case. I think he is still underrating, maybe because he doesn’t want to look TOO wrong about his pre draft ranking of GP.
I mean nothing is done till it’s done, but this kid has all the potential in the world.

 

[mas0764]

I'd hope he's better than Perfetti.

 

[Irishguy42]

Are we overrating him?

He's a Rangers prospect, so yes.

All fanbases do this.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

Is it overrating a player when he was a contender for the Hobey Baker all season as a freshman?

Or is it that the pundits can't admit they were wrong.

My guess is they can't admit they were wrong.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

If anything, we may be UNDERRATING him and he is the next Wayne Gretzky

 

[bhamill]

If anything, we may be UNDERRATING him and he is the next Wayne Gretzky

I like the way you think. hahahaha.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

Regardless of whether or not we are overrating or underrating him, Corey Pronman is an awful evaluator of prospects and doesn’t even watching most of these kids (how could he).

 

[Mac n Gs]

Regardless of whether or not we are overrating or underrating him, Corey Pronman is an awful evaluator of prospects and doesn’t even watching most of these kids (how could he).

A good rule of thumb is to simply never take anything he says about skating seriously because he's shown time and time again that he has no clue how to evaluate that specific skillset. Corey gets caught up too much in identifying players showing flash against terrible competition. He can't identify how a player can be developed to fit different roles at the NHL level.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

I don't think we're overrating him at all. He's a beast who produces at every level he's played at. His IQ is ridiculous and he just somehow shit points.

On the other hand, Kakko was a beast too and I've been hurt deeply so I don't know anything anymore.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

i feel like he hasn't played in a month

 

[The Crypto Guy]

i feel like he hasn't played in a month

Haha it does feel like that, but the final four starts tomorrow, tomorrow night at 8:30!