Is New York's Young Prospect Ready for the Next Step?
Following last season's embarrassing results for the New York Rangers, a few highlights did present themselves. As heartbreaking as it was seeing those Blueshirts not playing the same as the last few seasons, some new, young faces introduced themselves. New York fans were treated to youngsters like Brett Berard, Brennan Othmann, Matthew Robertson, and a young prospect who fans were delighted to see. Since fans saw him on Team USA, helping them win back-to-back gold, fans had a pretty good feeling about Gabriel Perreault. After selecting him 23rd overall in the first round in 2023, Perrault was brought into the fire on April 2nd for his NHL debut, going on to play in five games to end the unfortunate season. As the offseason continues, Perreault’s goal is nothing more than to get back to where last season ended, on that ice in Madison Square Garden. As the Blueshirts look to retool going into this next season, should the young prospect be allowed on the roster to start?
Most fans may agree that his sudden appearance on the ice may not have been the best idea, and New York certainly pays the price for it as well. Due to him being brought up to end the season, that burns off a year from his three-year entry-level contract, something that may not have seemed worth it for a season that most fans knew was over long ago. There’s no doubt Perreault stands out above the rest of the prospects in the developmental camp, bringing in quite a résumé from Boston College. As of now, the 20-year-old has spent the summer working to gain muscle, as well as some training from players like Patrick Kane. Though he’s had phone calls with new head coach Mike Sullivan, it’s unclear right now what the Rangers expect from him. The young prospect has certainly put in the work for his possible opportunity next season, but if there's any kind of proof he deserves that spot, it’s his numbers.
Aside from winning back-to-back gold medals with the U.S. at the IIHF World Junior Championships, Perreault also impressed quite a lot at Boston College. Going in as a freshman, the young prospect totaled 60 points with 19 goals and 41 assists through 36 games, a great sign of what was to come. This previous season, Perreault combined 16 goals and 32 assists for 48 points in 37 games, and finished off with some NHL experience against a couple of playoff teams. Though it's rough to waste a year of his contract, any experience in the NHL is productive, no matter how many games. With those few games on his résumé, it most likely makes it much easier going into camp, and could potentially be a big part of his development. A rebuild is always the best time to start developing these young prospects, and with the impressive numbers he brings, it’s safe to say the 20-year-old deserves his chance, and he’ll work for it.
