Rangers Need to Prioritize Gabe Perreault’s Development

While the New York Rangers had a frustrating 2025-26 season and finished with the worst record in the Eastern Conference, the strong play of rookie winger Gabe Perreault was a bright spot. In the past, they have played top prospects like Alexis Lafreniere and Kaapo Kakko in the bottom six and left them off of the team’s top power play unit, and they have struggled to reach their full potential. They can not do the same with Perreault despite acquiring some talented wingers, and they need to prioritize his development this season.

Performance in 2025-26

The Rangers drafted Perreault 23rd overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, and he quickly became one of their top prospects. He attended Boston College and had two excellent seasons with them, finishing with 19 goals and 41 assists in 36 games in 2023-24 and 16 goals and 32 assists in 37 games in 2024-25. After his sophomore season, he signed an entry-level contract and made his NHL debut but was held without a point in five games with New York.

Perreault began last season with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL). He played well and earned a call-up in November but was sent back to the AHL after just three games. He had 10 goals and seven assists in 20 AHL games and earned another call-up in December. He recorded a point in each of his first three games back in the NHL and earned consistent ice time with the Rangers.

Though Perreault showed poise and made some great passes as soon as he was called up, he did not break out offensively until the second half of the season. As the Rangers struggled, he was moved onto their top line with Lafreniere and Mika Zibanejad, and he made the most of his opportunity. He quickly formed chemistry with his new linemates, looked to hold onto the puck and make plays in the offensive zone, and scored on quick, accurate wrist shots. He was also effective on the power play and was able to set up teammates with cross-ice passes.

In the second half of the season, he was one of the Rangers’ best forwards and his line was excellent. He scored his first hat trick in a 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings on April 4, and finished the season with 12 goals and 15 assists in 49 games, including three goals and three assists on the power play.

Rangers Have Struggled to Develop Forwards

The Rangers have developed an elite goalie in Igor Shesterkin and an elite defenseman in Adam Fox, but they have struggled to develop forwards. Top-10 picks, Lias Andersson and Vitali Kravtsov combined for just 19 points in their time with New York and are both out of the NHL.

The Rangers also played top prospects Lafreniere and Kakko in bottom-six roles and rarely gave them ice time on power plays for their few seasons. While both have finally earned bigger roles (Kakko is now with the Seattle Kraken), neither one of them has developed into a star as New York hoped when they drafted Lafreniere first overall in 2020 and Kakko second overall in 2019.

For their first few seasons, rather than playing on the top line in the AHL or playing bigger roles in the NHL, Kakko and Lafreniere played limited roles in the NHL, and while they had some good moments, they were also plagued by extended slumps. Despite the addition of wingers Pavel Dorofeyev and Oliver Bjorkstrand, Perreault needs to get a lot of ice time this season. The Rangers need to trust the 21-year-old and let him play a big role, even if he makes some mistakes.

Important Role This Season

The Rangers played better in the second half of last season, when they showed faith in their young forwards and played Perreault and Lafreniere on their top line. They need to continue to do the same this season and prioritize the development of Perreault by continuing to play him in the top six and giving him opportunities on the power play. After failing to get the most out of some of their other top forward prospects, the hope is that they will help him reach his full potential.