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

[Wieters]

Haven’t watched all his games so this last one may be an outlier, but it also seemed that for almost every great play he made that connected there’d be 2 or 3 he'd try that would end up in turnovers. Reminded me of Panarin in that he’s just not interested in making the safe/simple play most times, especially on the PP.

This is mostly true re. Perreault turning down the safe for the flashy. But some of that is by design from a coaching/development standpoint.

The USNTDP and BC, the two teams Gabe has played for, have more talent than whichever team they're playing against almost every single time they step onto the ice. So they are uniquely situated to pull off the high-skill plays. And when considering the arc of elite prospects' careers, it's better to take those chances at the amateur level because you're not going to be given the leash to experiment creatively in the NHL.

If you watch a BC game with an eye toward the players other than Perreault, they're all doing the same thing in terms of going for the plays with a high degree of difficulty, so it's not just a Gabe thing. It's not necessarily optimal for point totals, but I would argue it's ideal for development and why the top-tier prospects are encouraged to go to programs like that.

 

[rangersfansince08]

Currently is tied in 3rd in points in the entire NCAA. The 2 guys above him have played 2 extra games and are linemates on Denver.

Also note that BC for the most part has had a tough schedule for the first quarter.

Someone on the Chicago boards was actually saying started slower this year due to BC not being as stacked as last year.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Haven’t watched all his games so this last one may be an outlier, but it also seemed that for almost every great play he made that connected there’d be 2 or 3 he'd try that would end up in turnovers. Reminded me of Panarin in that he’s just not interested in making the safe/simple play most times, especially on the PP.

That said, can’t recall the last time we had a forward prospect that was so good at slowing the game down and orchestrating scoring opportunities, maybe Stepan?

Oh no, our 23 overall pick is playing like a potential future Hall of Famer!

 

[Wieters]

Someone on the Chicago boards was actually saying started slower this year due to BC not being as stacked as last year.

BC is as stacked as they were last year and Gabe has more points through this point in the season than he did last year.

 

[Fitzy]

Oh no, our 23 overall pick is playing like a potential future Hall of Famer!

Yeah but you know what he's getting at here. It's not unlike Kakko dribbling around Finnish league players until he has a slam dunk chance. The question is does the player have the toolbox to adjust their game, espeically whe nthey're facing the world's best almost every game.

For Perrault ,I think the best thing for him to start his NHL career would be to play him with a top physical talent (Kreider, Chytil, Cuylle ) and a defensively responsible player for balance. I wouldn't put him out there with Zuccarello and Martin St Louis and hope they can pass the puck into the net.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Here is a video of his 1st assist yesterday:

 

[UnSandvich]

Here is a video of his 1st assist yesterday:

that was some filthy passing there

 

[GAGLine]

Primary assist for Gabe on the 2 on 1 with Leonard to put BC up 1-0.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Primary assist for Gabe on the 2 on 1 with Leonard to put BC up 1-0.

Any clip of this?

 

[GAGLine]

Any clip of this?

 

[Mugless]

Watch what Perrault does to the goalie. Gives him the fake Messier leg pump, gets the goalie to bite and feeds Leonard for a wide open net.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

The way he got the goalie to bite there was amazing.

 

[Mugless]

The way he got the goalie to bite there was amazing.

I also like how Perrault demanded the puck right from the jump. Gave the double stick tap on the ice calling for the puck from Leonard.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Damn that was f***ing nice. Gabe is so good freezing goalies with fake shots/passes and dekes.

 

[Draft Guru]

Every highlight is a perfect Gabe pass for a Leonard tap in

 

[GAGLine]

Another goal for Leonard, another assist (secondary) for Gabe.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Oh no, our 23 overall pick is playing like a potential future Hall of Famer!

Rangers fans should temper their Perreault expectations. Will Smith scored 71 points in 41 games with 25 goals last season at BC and has 2 goals 2 assist in 17 games this season

What if Perreault does that when he finally reaches the Rangers? Can't wait for fans to get impatient with him. I wonder if the Rangers will actually put him in Hartford unlike Smith who made the NHL from college.

William Smith (b.2005) Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of William Smith, a hockey player from Boston, MA born Mar 17 2005 who was active from 2021 to 2025.

www.hockeydb.com

 

[Wieters]

Rangers fans should temper their Perreault expectations. Will Smith scored 71 points in 41 games with 25 goals last season at BC and has 2 goals 2 assist in 17 games this season What if Perreault does that when he finally reaches the Rangers? Can't wait for fans to get impatient with him.

Except that Perreault is going to have another full year (at least) of development than Smith did. This is precisely the argument for why Smith should have gone back like Perreault/Leonard did. Those two will definitively be more ready for the league when they arrive than Smith was. Just because Smith put up a lot of points last year didn't mean he was ready for the NHL.

I wonder if the Rangers will actually put him in Hartford unlike Smith who made the NHL from college.

You have to incentivize these guys to sign, and telling them they're going to spend an extended period of time in the AHL isn't going to get that done.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Except that Perreault is going to have another full year (at least) of development than Smith did. This is precisely the argument for why Smith should have gone back like Perreault/Leonard did. Those two will definitively be more ready for the league when they arrive than Smith was. Just because Smith put up a lot of points last year didn't mean he was ready for the NHL.

You have to incentivize these guys to sign, and telling them they're going to spend an extended period of time in the AHL isn't going to get that done.

Ryan McDonagh spent time in the minors. Hope he won't have a Kravtsov type of attitude. Once sign their is always a chance to go the minors. Why would the Rangers tell him that when negotiating an ELC with Perreault

 

[Wieters]

Ryan McDonagh spent time in the minors. Hope he won't have a Kravtsov type of attitude. Once sign their is always a chance to go the minors. Why would the Rangers tell him that when negotiating an ELC with Perreault

Because the prospect and their advisors can ask for a clear development plan which might include an expectation that the prospect will remain on the NHL roster as a condition for signing. This is widely speculated to be the reason why Will Smith left BC in the first place and then was never sent down to the AHL despite being scratched from the lineup.

 

[RangersFan1994]

Because the prospect and their advisors can ask for a clear development plan which might include an expectation that the prospect will remain on the NHL roster as a condition for signing. This is widely speculated to be the reason why Will Smith left BC in the first place and then was never sent down to the AHL despite being scratched from the lineup.

Makes sense

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Rangers fans should temper their Perreault expectations. Will Smith scored 71 points in 41 games with 25 goals last season at BC and has 2 goals 2 assist in 17 games this season

What if Perreault does that when he finally reaches the Rangers? Can't wait for fans to get impatient with him. I wonder if the Rangers will actually put him in Hartford unlike Smith who made the NHL from college.

William Smith (b.2005) Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com

Statistics of William Smith, a hockey player from Boston, MA born Mar 17 2005 who was active from 2021 to 2025.

www.hockeydb.com

“I can’t wait for fans to get impatient with him.”

You will be at the front of that line lolol.

This is why people bag on you btw.

 

[Irishguy42]

Gabe really showing this season that he is a driver and not a passenger. He's the real deal.

 

[noncents]

Gabe really showing this season that he is a driver and not a passenger. He's the real deal.

counterpoint: Vatrano popped up in Baugh's trade targets article today..

 

[tlk]

A penny for the other GMs' thoughts now.