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

[HatTrick Swayze]

I love me some Gabe, but methinks he is Drury's biggest chip for landing a true difference maker for this club.

The problem is they dont have the luxury of time with this group they've assembled and Gabe isnt a sure thing at the NHL level.

Haha this is exactly why I was hesitant to post what I did. With all due respect to you my dude.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Perreault is small, not physical, and he isn't a good enough skater to make up for it. That's a concern.

He needs to be near perfect in every other aspect to make it.

 

[Overcast]

Perreault is small, not physical, and he isn't a good enough skater to make up for it. That's a concern.

He needs to be near perfect in every other aspect to make it.

Reading through his dad's Wiki..

"Carrying a reputation as too slow a skater to succeed in the NHL, Perreault played three years for the St. John's Maple Leafs, Toronto's American Hockey League affiliate. Perreault led the St. John's Maple Leafs to a seventh game in the Calder Cup finals in the 1992 season and to first-place finishes the following two seasons; his 132 goals and 276 points became in that span, and remain, career records for the Leafs' American Hockey League franchise.

Perreault made his NHL debut in that third season with the Leafs, showing some flash in spot duty, before being traded to the Los Angeles Kings for a fourth round pick in 1994. He spent most of that season with the Kings' minor league affiliate, the Phoenix Roadrunners, scoring 51 goals to lead the team."

They're more or less the same size - 5'11, Gabe is listed at 165 right now on Elite Prospects, Yanic is listed at 185 on Wiki. Gabe can become as good at faceoffs as his dad was.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Reading through his dad's Wiki..

"Carrying a reputation as too slow a skater to succeed in the NHL, Perreault played three years for the St. John's Maple Leafs, Toronto's American Hockey League affiliate. Perreault led the St. John's Maple Leafs to a seventh game in the Calder Cup finals in the 1992 season and to first-place finishes the following two seasons; his 132 goals and 276 points became in that span, and remain, career records for the Leafs' American Hockey League franchise.

Perreault made his NHL debut in that third season with the Leafs, showing some flash in spot duty, before being traded to the Los Angeles Kings for a fourth round pick in 1994. He spent most of that season with the Kings' minor league affiliate, the Phoenix Roadrunners, scoring 51 goals to lead the team."

They're more or less the same size - 5'11, Gabe is listed at 165 right now on Elite Prospects, Yanic is listed at 185 on Wiki. Gabe can become as good at faceoffs as his dad was.

Isn't he a winger?

 

[Takeahnase]

Guess we will find out. I don’t totally disagree with you. In some ways he IS more of the same, but MORE. Especially IQ wise. Watching him pretty regularly on ESPN+, he does play defense. He does forecheck, with the purpose of getting the puck. Not of inflicting damage. I think he’s just smart enough to know when he’ll be wearing himself down more than the opposition. As he fills in I think that part of his game amplifies a little. Where he is NOT more of the same is his motor and his commitment. He RAISES his play in big games. I only WISH that was “more of the same”… just imagine if Pan and Zibs were doing that…
Anyway, I think we are basically on the same page.

Would you be happy if Gabe has 3 playoff OT game winners, including a game 7 winning goal in his career?

 

[Overcast]

Isn't he a winger?

Never say never.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

This kid will 100% be a difference maker for us. He is untouchable.

 

[Guyute]

Perreault is small, not physical, and he isn't a good enough skater to make up for it. That's a concern.

He needs to be near perfect in every other aspect to make it.

He's the anti-Kreider. He doesn't have the physical tools, but he has the hockey sense. Kreider had all of the physical gifts, but not the hockey IQ.

Just a hunch- I think, as Fox has demonstrated so far throughout his career, it's the hockey IQ that counts more.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

He's the anti-Kreider. He doesn't have the physical tools, but he has the hockey sense. Kreider had all of the physical gifts, but not the hockey IQ.

Just a hunch- I think, as Fox has demonstrated so far throughout his career, it's the hockey IQ that counts more.

I think Kreider has a great IQ, he didn’t have the puck skills

 

[noncents]

perreault up to 176 i believe

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

He's the anti-Kreider. He doesn't have the physical tools, but he has the hockey sense. Kreider had all of the physical gifts, but not the hockey IQ.

Just a hunch- I think, as Fox has demonstrated so far throughout his career, it's the hockey IQ that counts more.

Totally agree. That's also how I would describe Adam Fox and that's worked out pretty well

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Perreault is small, not physical, and he isn't a good enough skater to make up for it. That's a concern.

He needs to be near perfect in every other aspect to make it.

Very odd take from you.

He isn't really that small, and his hockey IQ more than makes up for his speed, which has greatly improved over the last 2 years.

 

[Guyute]

Very odd take from you.

He isn't really that small, and his hockey IQ more than makes up for his speed, which has greatly improved over the last 2 years.

Will the only prospect that Kreiderman doesn't interview be the only one that doesn't bust? Still holding out hope for Othmann!

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

Somehow we’ve gotten to the point where Fox is basically described like he’s Charles Xavier.

He’s definitely lost a step since the injuries last year, but his skating is totally fine. His hands and vision are also elite. He regularly undresses players in all three zones. He’s not just a big brain.

The narrative around Perrault has similarly somehow come around to him being equated to a soft perimeter player, a la Michael St Croix. His skating is more than fine, he can dangle with the best of them and he has no problem going into the dirty areas. He’s not a lock to be a superstar, but I think he’s earned the benefit of the doubt that he’s not some one dimensional softie.

I said this in the WJC thread, but everyone looks like a perimeter player when they’re playing with Ryan Leonard.

 

[bhamill]

Would you be happy if Gabe has 3 playoff OT game winners, including a game 7 winning goal in his career?

Context would be nice. Over the course of 15 years? It wouldn’t make me UNhappy… but would certainly not make me think he’s great… In one series? And then what? Continuing great play? Disappearing act? I’d say he had a great series... and then a disappointing one if that’s all there was.
I’d be happy in the moment if he did that, but if he tended to shit the bed and disappear in the playoffs and the team never won a Cup because of him not playing up to his regular season level, NO, I would not be happy. You?
Gotta say, odd, and oddly specific (as if it’s meant to be a “gotcha” of some sort), ask especially in reference to a comment I made maybe a couple of weeks ago…
Edit: a comment I made a month ago. Hahahaha.

 

[bhamill]

Gabe is not particularly small and he is certainly not slow.
BC has him listed at 5’11” and 178pounds. When he’s done growing and filling out he will likely be 6foot 190-195 pounds. Maybe more.

 

[tiggles]

He's obviously not going to go around throwing bone crunching hits, but he can hold his own and is more than willing to go to the middle of the ice and mix it up.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Context would be nice. Over the course of 15 years? It wouldn’t make me UNhappy… but would certainly not make me think he’s great… In one series? And then what? Continuing great play? Disappearing act? I’d say he had a great series... and then a disappointing one if that’s all there was.
I’d be happy in the moment if he did that, but if he tended to shit the bed and disappear in the playoffs and the team never won a Cup because of him not playing up to his regular season level, NO, I would not be happy. You?
Gotta say, odd, and oddly specific (as if it’s meant to be a “gotcha” of some sort), ask especially in reference to a comment I made maybe a couple of weeks ago…
Edit: a comment I made a month ago. Hahahaha.

Yeah it's an odd mark for "measure of greatness" to begin with tbh.

Barclay Goodrow has 2 playoff OT winners including a G7 winner. I'd be pretty pissed if thats what Perreault ended up as.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Yeah it's an odd mark for "measure of greatness" to begin with tbh.

Barclay Goodrow has 2 playoff OT winners including a G7 winner. I'd be pretty pissed if thats what Perreault ended up as.

Some high profile players never scored OT winners in the playoffs, including Mark Messier. Meanwhile:

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Very odd take from you.

He isn't really that small, and his hockey IQ more than makes up for his speed, which has greatly improved over the last 2 years.

It has improved. I wouldn't say it "greatly improved". He still has to work on his first step. Enough time to do that though. And yes, his hockey IQ is through the roof.

He's a forward version of Adam Fox. If he plays with the right linemates, you can limit the risk. And as long as he figures out a way to leverage his strengths on a daily basis, we're in for a treat.

But when I see people penciling him in for opening night 2025, I can't help but think that that is unlikely. That's all.

Will the only prospect that Kreiderman doesn't interview be the only one that doesn't bust? Still holding out hope for Othmann!

I stopped doing interviews 2 years ago, prior to the 2023 draft because the Rangers were a pain in the ass about it.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

It has improved. I wouldn't say it "greatly improved". He still has to work on his first step. Enough time to do that though. And yes, his hockey IQ is through the roof.

He's a forward version of Adam Fox. If he plays with the right linemates, you can limit the risk. And as long as he figures out a way to leverage his strengths on a daily basis, we're in for a treat.

But when I see people penciling him in for opening night 2025, I can't help but think that that is unlikely. That's all.

Ah ok, well that is completely fair. Maybe he needs a few months or more in the AHL, i think it could go 50/50 depending on his preseason. I do think it's silly for people to think he's going to pull a Kreider and join us for a playoff run.

 

[Alluckks]

Perreault is small, not physical, and he isn't a good enough skater to make up for it. That's a concern.

He needs to be near perfect in every other aspect to make it.

Could you elaborate on what you mean by "make it"

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Could you elaborate on what you mean by "make it"

Become the player he's projected to be by this fanbase.

 

[Alluckks]

Become the player he's projected to be by this fanbase.

Ah, so a top 6 player with first line potential at his peak