Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn ImagesThrough all of the noise and struggles surrounding the New York Rangers, Gabe Perreault has been one of the few bright spots as of late.
When Perreault was called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League earlier in the season, playing three games for the Rangers, Mike Sullivan felt the game was moving too quickly for him.
“I thought early on, I told you guys this, I felt like he was a little bit overwhelmed,” Sullivan said of Perreault, “That's no one's fault. That's just part of the development process and where he was at the time.”
Perreault was recalled from the AHL by the Rangers in December and has since played 15 games.
The strides in Perreault’s game have begun to show over the team’s most recent stretch of games, and it’s catching the eye of everyone around the organization.
It all started last week in a game against the Ottawa Senators, and with the Rangers down 6-0, Perreault managed to score two goals.
While the goals were unimportant when it came to the outcome of the game, given the Rangers found themselves in an insurmountable deficit, it felt like the individual confidence booster Perreault needed.
Since that night, Perreault’s offensive engagement has exploded, playing on a line alongside J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad.
The 20-year-old forward is flashing off the offensive potential that was displayed during his time at Boston College, where he became one of the most dynamic NCAA players at the time.
He’s generating high-quality scoring chances and thriving in a top-six role.
His offensive game was certainly translating at the AHL level, indicative of his 17 points in 20 games, and now, it’s beginning to translate at the NHL level as well.
“I think Gabe Perreault is learning right in front of our eyes,” Sullivan said. “I think he’s making more plays, he’s figuring out how to play with those guys, he’s building confidence with the puck, he’s hanging onto pucks. He makes good decisions and I think Gabe is learning defensively. He has good details, he is in the right positions. Gabe is a smart player and I think his aptitude for the game is high, so I think his learning curve is steep.”
With Rangers president and general manager issuing a letter last week which emphasized the team’s intentions to retool the roster, Perreault should continue to see his role only increase, and it’s a high possibility he’ll be playing with the Blueshirts for the remainder of the season.