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

[JHS]

Just waiting for someone to crucify Drury for this pick, because thats the cool thing to do.

Edit: Nevermind JHS just won the trophy.

It’s not a crucify. It’s a simple observation based on tangible information. The guy is already known for being very small and, he can’t skate. Even in his “highlight package” during the draft he toe picked crossing the blue line and managed to get up quick enough to get a shot off. Let’s be real, that’s not really a “highlight real” goal. The pick looks awful on paper and will likely look worse in reality. You can go find every advanced stat out there but how many 5 foot 7, 160 pounders are currently in the NHL???

 

[Rongomania]

Adam Fox type pass

So funny you said that. I read the scouting report above and said: "Sounds Foxy-esque."

Diggin' the pick. Wings and D so stacked for the future here..

Can we draft centers the rest of this draft and all of our picks next year though please ?

 

[JHS]

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).

This exact quote could have been written about Laf and Kappo and let’s be honest, it’s been proven false by them as well. Speed is incredibly important in the NHL these days. Being slow and small is a death sentence in the NHL— it just is.

 

[LORDE]

Skating coach(s) don't count against the cap right?

We should have a whole team of them & dole them out to new employees like ID badges

 

[2014nyr]

i think the questions about his skating are way overblown. to me he gets around the ice just fine, and he has good balance - and by balance i mean he's always got his weight under him which is a big part of why you rarely see him getting hit. like he sets up dekes fully selling them shifting his weight over and back seamlessly, he stops in traffic with full control of his body and the puck where he's able to keep his eyes up and handle the puck around sticks and skates sliding by, he pivots cleanly and under control...i mean i just don't see any glaring concerns there. lots of players have unique strides, i mean crosby has a kinda bow legged hunched over style that isn't traditional but i don't think anyone is too concerned (not comparing him to sid just the easiest example of someone who's stride won't win a beauty contest). his skating is more than adequate fundamentally. acceleration is probably the biggest weakness and that's something that should improve naturally as he develops physically and puts some work in on it.

the biggest risk with him is how high is his high hockey iq. like, fox is a fairly poor skater in several areas and it doesn't get a ton of attention because well...he's pretty damn good anyway - because he's off the charts in hockey iq. perrault's skating shouldn't hold him back, his impact will ultimately be determined by how his hockey iq translates to the nhl pace around him.

 

[JHS]

#badskater

He’s catching a finish guy who could not make most Junior B teams in the United States…please let’s have perspective. If we want to be fair, he spins around when he gets any pressure from the finish d to find a wide open teammate because the Finish defending is putrid. Not trying to trash the guy but this is hardly something that will translate into the NHL. Any competent defender puts his stick on the puck crossing the blue line and breaks up that play easily.

The idea that this kid is skilled is obvious but the reality is he’s gonna struggle physically in the NHL and is probably not going to catch anyone, well unless Kappo and Laf are on other teams but that point.

 

[Synergy27]

He’s catching a finish guy who could not make most Junior B teams in the United States…please let’s have perspective. If we want to be fair, he spins around when he gets any pressure from the finish d to find a wide open teammate because the Finish defending is putrid. Not trying to trash the guy but this is hardly something that will translate into the NHL. Any competent defender puts his stick on the puck crossing the blue line and breaks up that play easily.

The idea that this kid is skilled is obvious but the reality is he’s gonna struggle physically in the NHL and is probably not going to catch anyone, well unless Kappo and Laf are on other teams but that point.

Just addressing the point that he’s not a #badskater. I don’t care about the rest of the play.

Go ahead and be miserable though.

 

[Synergy27]

You can go find every advanced stat out there but how many 5 foot 7, 160 pounders are currently in the NHL???

I don’t even know why I am responding to you because you are clearly either just clueless or trolling, but:

And he’s the youngest of the big four Americans this year. What does this mean? He did all of this without having a dominant physical profile.

You know that knock on all those early maturing kids who bully their way through lesser competition? Yeah, not here.

Home run.

 

[Priorae]

Kind of great we’ll have a guy we can actually follow easily (like with K’andre)

 

[Mike in Houston]

Looks like I'll be watching a lot more BC hockey this fall/winter/spring.

 

[Levitate]

It’s not a crucify. It’s a simple observation based on tangible information. The guy is already known for being very small and, he can’t skate. Even in his “highlight package” during the draft he toe picked crossing the blue line and managed to get up quick enough to get a shot off. Let’s be real, that’s not really a “highlight real” goal. The pick looks awful on paper and will likely look worse in reality. You can go find every advanced stat out there but how many 5 foot 7, 160 pounders are currently in the NHL???

He's 5'11 165lbs and barely 18years old. By the account of the Rangers own assistant coach he's dedicated to improving himself and his game is and is already taking gym time and nutrition seriously.

Guy could easily end up in the "average" 6' 180-190 lb range if he fills out

He’s catching a finish guy who could not make most Junior B teams in the United States…please let’s have perspective. If we want to be fair, he spins around when he gets any pressure from the finish d to find a wide open teammate because the Finish defending is putrid. Not trying to trash the guy but this is hardly something that will translate into the NHL. Any competent defender puts his stick on the puck crossing the blue line and breaks up that play easily.

The idea that this kid is skilled is obvious but the reality is he’s gonna struggle physically in the NHL and is probably not going to catch anyone, well unless Kappo and Laf are on other teams but that point.

This stuff is stupid to me. They're kids playing kids, you need to compare them to their peer group not just look at it and say 'well if he tried that in the NHL it wouldn't work!"
Sure, but he's not going straight to the NHL, and you don't break the USNDT scoring record if you suck as bad as you're making this guy out to, even if you do have good linemates (if they're so much better why weren't they the ones breaking it?)

Rangers drafted for skill here like people have clamored for and it wasn't enough for some it seems

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

PS this league sucks. What a boring night no trades so vanilla. Just love the game despise this league

They unplugged all the phones after the Rangers leaked the phone number with a photo of their desk phone.

 

[offdacrossbar]

At 23 this is a very smart pick. He's productive and highly skilled. When you watch him he naturally goes to places scorers go and he finishes. How you get there doesn't matter as much as what you do when you arrive. Skating can be improved. 5'11 is 6 ft eventually and that's plenty big enough.

High upside player who seems to understand the game at 18. Hard to be down on this pick. Kid can play.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

From what I’m seeing he isn’t Stephan bad at skating. He’s just average. Adam Fox was also considered ‘average’

I think what people fail to realize is that, if a player like Perreault was also a good skater on top of what he has in his arsenal, he'd be a top-5 pick.

At 23 you are not getting a perfect player. You get a player that you hope can improve his weaknesses and refine his strengths. You either go with an elite scorer and below average skating, or you go after a top notch skater with mediocre finishing ability. You're not getting a guy at 23 that is good at everything.

3 years with BC for Perreault is the right move here. Don't rush him. Let him go the Kreider-route. Dominate the NCAA.

none of his 3 sons are Centers...

Neither was Kevin Hayes when he was drafted. Or Sebastian Aho. Let's move Perreault to center

 

[Chytilmania]

Sounds like a great player but with passing and creativity being his strength, is he going to get here and become allergic to shooting?

 

[Savant]

This exact quote could have been written about Laf and Kappo and let’s be honest, it’s been proven false by them as well. Speed is incredibly important in the NHL these days. Being slow and small is a death sentence in the NHL— it just is.

Who was the better option that was on the board at 23?

The aren’t picking again until 91, they took the best player on the board, and it’s a home run swing. This guy should have gone in the teens and they got him at 23. Come on.

 

[alkurtz]

First off, this is a great pick and I am thrilled that the Rangers were able to get him at 23. As far as skating, we can sugarcoat or rationalize the issue all we want, but it has to be a concern. On one hand, it is obvious that today's NHL is a skating league. The speed of today's game, even compared to 15, 20 years ago is simply astounding. Players like Jack Hughes define the game today. For us to say, hoping for the best, optimistic outcome for GP is not being realistic.

OTOH, we know that speed is not everything: witness Julian Gauthier. I think that Laf is a good example of how sometimes we overate speed. How much of the game is played at full-tilt, end to end rushes? Not much. Lafreniere doesn't have quick acceleration and likely, no matter how much he works on it, ever will. It may ultimately keep him from becoming a franchise winger. But, once he is up to speed, his skating is fine (I'm not really talking about edges, cutting, etc.). He has more than enough "speed" to be a highly effective player from the blueline in, where most offense is created. Same with Kaako: he too will never be more than an average skater when it comes to sheer, straight ahead speed and quick acceleration. But, he is strong on his skates, a blossoming power forward. With both of these guys, it has been a struggle to figure out how their unique skills fit into today's speed dominated NHL. Even with "skating issues," I still hope for the best for them, hoping that they are given the chance to grow. How much they do so depends more on them, their work ethic, commitment, etc., than their lack of skating ability.

So, I am wary of Perrault, realistic about his skillset, concerned with his skating, but knowing that even in today's NHL where speed dominates, it is not everything and he has a chance, perhaps an outside chance, to be an impact player for us. Overall, a good, solid pick with potential (what you expect at #23) and I am more than happy with it.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Gretzky

Brent?

can he play in AHL next season?

Only if he signs his ELC. He's committed to Boston College (NCAA) so I doubt we see him before 2025.

 

[Levitate]

Guys like Hughes and McDavid and Makar are the exceptions in the league right now with regards to skating, not the standard or the definition of the leagues skating

Skating is important, if you have it along with other skills then you've got a big leg up, but there are fantastic NHL players who aren't fast skaters and fast skaters that are mediocre NHLers. It's still just one skill.

To me the thing will be whether the reports about his IQ and work ethic are spot on or if they're exaggerated. A young player with very high hockey IQ and the desire to improve at every opportunity combined with puck skills and a good shot is an ideal guy to take in a place in the draft where everyone will have some flaws

 

[JHS]

He's 5'11 165lbs and barely 18years old. By the account of the Rangers own assistant coach he's dedicated to improving himself and his game is and is already taking gym time and nutrition seriously.

Guy could easily end up in the "average" 6' 180-190 lb range if he fills out



This stuff is stupid to me. They're kids playing kids, you need to compare them to their peer group not just look at it and say 'well if he tried that in the NHL it wouldn't work!"
Sure, but he's not going straight to the NHL, and you don't break the USNDT scoring record if you suck as bad as you're making this guy out to, even if you do have good linemates (if they're so much better why weren't they the ones breaking it?)

Rangers drafted for skill here like people have clamored for and it wasn't enough for some it seems

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.

 

[Levitate]

to be honest the rangers won't be developing him for the next several years if he's going to BC

That said, bringing Muse on board makes me have some hope they're bringing guys into the organization who will have some input on how these players will be handled and have experience and expertise with it

e: and I wasn't saying you draft him because he looks good against poor competition but now that you bring it up, trying to draft for projection and ignoring production against peer competition is how teams royally screw up drafts and take some kid who never put up numbers but is "projectable"
Whether a kid is excelling at his current level is a huge starting point to draft. From there the "why" of the scoring is important but picking someone who struggles to score against lesser competition because they might one day project to be able to stand in front of the net would be pretty bad

 

[duhmetreE]

He's our Panarin replacement in 3 years.

Maybe that's his cieling? peak Panarin?

 

[Crease]

He immediately becomes the most talented player in the Rangers system. Great pick at 23. BC is the perfect place for him to continue to develop.

 

[JHS]

Who was the better option that was on the board at 23?

The aren’t picking again until 91, they took the best player on the board, and it’s a home run swing. This guy should have gone in the teens and they got him at 23. Come on.

The team needed speed and they drafted exactly the same type of players( Kappo and Laf) as this guy and neither one is really doing anything exciting. No one knows anything about these guys so the “who is better” arguement is laughable. I’m evaluating the pick based on his physical attributes and what his stated deficits are by the draft experts. I’m very skeptical of any draft pick that’s labeled as “slow and small.” I think I can be based on the limited success “slow and small” players have had in the NHL for the history of the game. Maybe this guy will be the exception— I hope so— but let’s not talk with certainty that anyone is correct and differing opinions can’t be. We are all just guessing!

 

[Savant]

The team needed speed and they drafted exactly the same type of players( Kappo and Laf) as this guy and neither one is really doing anything exciting. No one knows anything about these guys so the “who is better” arguement is laughable. I’m evaluating the pick based on his physical attributes and what his stated deficits are by the draft experts. I’m very skeptical of any draft pick that’s labeled as “slow and small.” I think I can be based on the limited success “slow and small” players have had in the NHL for the history of the game. Maybe this guy will be the exception— I hope so— but let’s not talk with certainty that anyone is correct and differing opinions can’t be. We are all just guessing!

I mean he kept up with Will Smith and Ryan Leonard, and led that line in points. He averaged more than 2 points a game. Scored some big goals too; not just a pass first winger. There are much smaller players than he is and none of them has his offensive upside. At 23 you take that chance. Again, who was better at 23 that was on the board? No he’s not a perfect skater, but this player goes like top 12 if he is. You aren’t getting a perfect prospect at 23