With the 23rd overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Rangers have selected Gabe Perreault from U.S. National Team Developmental Program (NTDP).
About Gabe Perreault
The 2023 NHL Draft looks to be another good one for the USNTDP, as they have developed a crop of players who were expected to be top selections throughout Round 1. One such player is Gabe Perreault, the undersized yet offensively gifted forward who could be seen as a bit of a steal at this point in the draft.
Related: 2023 NHL Draft: Live Tracker
On the ice, Perreault has a dominant offensive skillset, as he possesses one of the best hockey IQs of this class. What this means is that he sees the ice at an elite level, which allows him to make the right choices to set up his teammates for a grade-A chance or to select his own shot to score.
This was shown best during his time at the 2023 U18 World Junior Championship. In just seven games played, Perreault posted five goals and 18 points, which put him second in scoring behind only his linemate Will Smith. He also posted 132 points in 63 games with the USNTDP, which were more eye-popping totals.
Overall, the Rangers are getting one of the best offensive players available at the 2023 Draft. While he has some minor flaws in his game, including skate speed and general defensive responsibility, these are relatively fixable issues compared to his massive offensive potential.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“The son of long-time NHLer Yanic Perreault, Gabe Perreault is a highly-skilled, offensive-minded winger who has a variety of tricks in his arsenal that makes him a threat on the power play. His offensive abilities bleed into both playmaking and shooting, but I think he’s more of a pass-first player. He is good at reading plays and making quick, smart decisions in the offensive zone, and has great vision.
Related: THW’s 2023 NHL Draft Guide
“He’s very creative with his stickhandling and isn’t afraid to take on opposing defensemen one-on-one off the rush. His quick hands allow him to stickhandle his way out of pressure and move the puck to an open teammate to maintain possession. He shoots often, but is smart with selecting the right shots to take. What’s interesting is that it’s like he plays with the mindset of a goalscorer, yet is very accurate with his passes. I would definitely classify him as a playmaker; he thinks and sees the game really well which contributes to his playmaking ability.
“Perreault is going to be an asset on the power play for whichever team drafts him. He has the ability to play along the perimeter and distribute to his teammates, and also hang around the net looking for soft areas off the back post for scoring chances. That’s the role I’d look to play him in. He will position himself to be able to capitalize on rebounds, which opens up a world of potential for him to receive passes off the goalie’s pads for strong scoring opportunities.
“I think it’s interesting to note that despite being younger and smaller, at just 17 years old and 5-foot-11, he’s been extremely well-disciplined throughout his career at the United States Development Program (USDP). He’s never eclipsed 12 penalty minutes (PIMs) while playing for any USDP team.”
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects the Rangers’ Plans
In order to allow Perreault to reach his full potential, New York will need to take their time with his development. On the plus side, he is already committed to playing hockey at Boston College, which means he will be learning to take that next step in his career at one of the top hockey colleges in the United States.
So, while it may take up to four years, by the time Perreault finishes his collegiate career, he should be ready to step into a middle-six role while taking on extensive power-play time. If he continues developing, his upside is a top-line scorer who could hit 30 goals and 70 points with ease.
For now, the Rangers just need to sit back and let Perreault develop at Boston College and try to avoid rushing him into a situation that could be detrimental to his long-term future. The reward will be there if they take their time and do this right.
