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

[Guyute]

I wouldn't be surprised if he spends a year in Hartford at least.

Zero chance he isn’t in the Rangers lineup for good starting game 1 of 25-26.

His skating isn't a plus and he’s on the smaller side, but his hockey IQ right now is elite even for NHL standards.

 

[GAGLine]

Assist for Gabe. 1-0 BC in the 2nd.

 

[TGWL]

Do you honestly think it's realistic that the Rangers approach Perreault and ask him to sign with the possibility that he spends at least a year in the AHL? And if so, do you think Perreault would agree to that?

This will be a kid who is going to be as decorated of an amateur hockey player as there is and will have seen all of his teammates/contemporaries go straight to the NHL without spending a second on the farm.

It might make sense on paper, but be mindful that in reality these kids possess and exercise sigfnificantly more leverage now than they used to.

His option is play for BC again or sign an a deal and get sent to the AHL. I don't think he plays the trade him scenario.

 

[Wieters]

His option is play for BC again or sign an a deal and get sent to the AHL. I don't think he plays the trade him scenario.

Why are those the two options? Are the more realistic options not return to BC or sign to go to the NHL?

I don't find it to be a compelling case that a prospect of Perreault's pedigree would be in a hurry to leave the situation he's in to willingly spend an extended period of time in the AHL. I'm sure it might sound like a good idea to message board posters to send him down to the farm to get knocked around in the AHL while he waits for his chance, but the prospect has to actually agree to do that.

The leverage I'm alluding to is not necessarily that draftees can force trades (although we are seeing that as with Gabe's teammate last year), but more so that with the advent of NIL, there isn't as much of a financial necessity to sign as there was before.

 

[TGWL]

Why are those the two options? Are the more realistic options not return to BC or sign to go to the NHL?

I don't find it to be a compelling case that a prospect of Perreault's pedigree would be in a hurry to leave the situation he's in to willingly spend an extended period of time in the AHL. I'm sure it might sound like a good idea to message board posters to send him down to the farm to get knocked around in the AHL while he waits for his chance, but the prospect has to actually agree to do that.

The leverage I'm alluding to is not necessarily that draftees can force trades (although we are seeing that as with Gabe's teammate last year), but more so that with the advent of NIL, there isn't as much of a financial necessity to sign as there was before.

You don't sign a deal to go to the NHL. You sign a deal and hope to play in the NHL. If you're playing the I'm only signing if you give me NHL time, then that goes into the potential request trade scenario, which I don't see happening here.

 

[Wieters]

You don't sign a deal to go to the NHL. You sign a deal and hope to play in the NHL. If you're playing the I'm only signing if you give me NHL time, then that goes into the potential request trade scenario, which I don't see happening here.

Sometimes front offices have to offer incentives to prospects if they want to get them to sign. One such incentive is a development plan that expressly contemplates time spent on the NHL roster and not anywhere else. If this isn't fleshed out ahead of time, the prospect can simply tell the club that they will not sign. Whether that turns into a trade demand does not necessarily follow, although it could. There is also the possibility of free agency.

This type of situation is widely speculated to be the reason why Will Smith--Gabe's roommate at BC, by the way--is still on the NHL roster in San Jose and not been sent down to the AHL even though he has been a healthy scratch for multiple games.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Unless BC's season finishes early and Gabe agrees to play some games in the AHL on an ATO, he isn't spending a second in the AHL.

Ya'll are nuts if you think otherwise. It has nothing to do with preparedness or anything like that either because he'll make this team out of camp provided that he signs and he doesn’t get hurt.

OTOH, his game is pretty NHL ready and has been for a while. He’ll be 180 lbs+ by next September. We will have open spots.

 

[Synergy27]

View attachment 928338

The intent here is clear based on the angle of his stick. He's trying to get the puck to Hagens.

View attachment 928340
View attachment 928341

The puck clearly goes through the defender's skates. I don't think it hit anything, but if it did, it didn't change the trajectory to any significant degree.

Gabe turned back even as he chipped the puck, ensuring that if the puck didn't get through, he'd be in good position to defend.

Maybe I'm reading more into it than is actually there, but given this kid's smarts, I'm inclined to believe those were his intentions.

Zapruder film analysis of a college prospect’s secondary assist is why HF Boards will always have a place in my heart.

 

[wolfgaze]

Here's Gabe's primary assist from Sunday's game:

https://x.com/i/web/status/1855690477280063567

There was some serious hitting in this game - made for some entertaining hockey. Fortescue was on the receiving end of a fairly big hit in the neutral zone. Jacob Fowler (BC's goalie, Habs prospect) is a stud in net.

 

[JimmyG89]

We're going to need his ELC to help balance the team. Make upgrades to the defense because there are going to be spots in the top 9 most likely for young players to fill.

Are they going to pay Kakko? He's going to get a decent raise. Might be two spots in the top 9 available on the right side. Reilly Smith is a stop gap.

He's going to be in the group with Berard, Othmann, etc trying to make the team. I could see AHL time, but it might be for half a season.

We also have to consider that Kreider should be on the 3rd line soon enough. He's great on the PP in front, but he's going to regress. Would they move Laf back to the left side in this instance?

RW is going to be one of those spots they need. Maybe they will move Mika to the wing and try to get a 3C behind Chytil and Trocheck.

 

[JCProdigy]

Zapruder film analysis of a college prospect’s secondary assist is why HF Boards will always have a place in my heart.

Gabe was on the grassy knoll and made the shot blindfolded and banked it off the book depository building.

...but further on this assist, they showed a replay at the beginning of the feed for Yesterday's game, from a different angle (behind the goal towards up the ice) and it actually made the play look way more intentional/impressive. Also, simple but nice recognition and pass off the boards from Fortescue to Perreault to start the whole play.

 

[LeetchisGod]

We're going to need his ELC to help balance the team. Make upgrades to the defense because there are going to be spots in the top 9 most likely for young players to fill.

Are they going to pay Kakko? He's going to get a decent raise. Might be two spots in the top 9 available on the right side. Reilly Smith is a stop gap.

He's going to be in the group with Berard, Othmann, etc trying to make the team. I could see AHL time, but it might be for half a season.

We also have to consider that Kreider should be on the 3rd line soon enough. He's great on the PP in front, but he's going to regress. Would they move Laf back to the left side in this instance?

RW is going to be one of those spots they need. Maybe they will move Mika to the wing and try to get a 3C behind Chytil and Trocheck.

I wouldn't. For all the talk about his improved play, he still has one goal so far. That simply doesn't cut it.

 

[RangersFan1994]

I wouldn't. For all the talk about his improved play, he still has one goal so far. That simply doesn't cut it.

I would have dealt him at the NHL draft

 

[noncents]

I would have dealt him at the NHL draft

for a 7th