With the 27th Pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, the Anaheim Ducks Have Selected Jacob Perreault From the Sarnia Sting of the OHL
About Jacob Perreault
Owning arguably one of the best shots in a draft filled with high-profile shooters, Jacob Perreault is a top-tier sniper who made huge improvements over his draft season to become one of the class’s best offensive catalysts. He’s taken big steps to round out his game, and though he still has quite a way to go before he becomes an NHL star, his ceiling is incredibly high.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“He has NHL bloodlines, his father Yanic Perreault played 859 regular season games in the league, and now it’s time for Jacob Perreault to hear his name called at the NHL Draft. The younger Perreault is coming off his second season with the OHL’s Sarnia Sting, tallying 39 goals and 70 points in 57 regular season games before the season was cancelled.
In two seasons with the Sting, Perreault has 69 goals in 120 games – averaging 0.58 goals per game to start his OHL career. He’s been described as one of the best pure goal scorers in the upcoming draft and as such could be a major asset to any team in desperate need of an immediate offensive boost.
Related: 2020 NHL Draft Guide
He has shown the ability to play the wing as well as down the middle which could prove beneficial in his efforts to make the jump to the big league. On top of that, he has top-notch vision and draws defenders away from teammates to create high-quality, open chances.
While he’s shown his ability to skate is unparalleled, at times his speed with the puck has been somewhat inconsistent and might be one of the few topics for improvement for the young winger. Still, his ability to force defenders to back off makes his speed less of an issue and more of a simple discussion point when talking about his overall game.
As for how he sees the game, Perreault is among the best in the OHL in visualizing how to approach each situation. He’s dangerous in one-on-one situations and like some of the best goal scorers in the NHL, has an incredibly deceptive shot which can fool goaltenders off the rush.
Even though there are very few issues on the offensive side of the puck, Perreault will need to lock down his game defensively if he hopes to develop into the player that he is capable of being. If his minus-34 rating last season with the Sting was any indication of how he plays in his own end, he will need to sure up his in-zone coverage to fit into a top-six role at the NHL level.”
Full player profile can be found here
How This Affects the Ducks’ Plans
Teams always need goals, and the Ducks had one of the lowest totals in the NHL in 2019-20. They have several top wingers coming up in Troy Terry, Max Comtois, and Brayden Tracey, but with Perreault, their forward corp gets all that more dangerous. He may have one of the highest upsides at the draft, with the potential to be a top-seven scorer of this draft class. He possesses an incredible shot, but he is much more than a one-dimensional sniper, having rounded out his game with the Sting this past season. The Ducks made a great move picking up one of the biggest sliders of the first round.