The Gabe Perreault Era Is Upon Us

Chris Drury has figured out how his Rangers can make the playoffs.

GO WITH THE KIDS!

The advent of "The Gabe Perreault Era" begins tomorrow night at The Garden when the Minnesota Wild come to town.

Finished with his basic training at Boston College, right wing Perreault joins a "Kiddie Korps" that will energize the Rangers right into the playoffs.

Left Wing Brennan Othmann finally has discovered his niche and – when properly employed by coach Peter Laviolette – left wing Brett Berard has more moves than a robin on an electrified fence.

"Lavvy should dump whatever dead wood he has," says The Old Scout, "and insert the kids. There's no better time than now."

We've been hearing about Perreault since October when The Hockey News Yearbook's "Future Watch" rated Gabe the Number One Ranger prospect. The scouting report went like this:

"Oodles of hockey sense and a knack for getting pucks to sticks. He's a brilliant playmaker." 

We already know that Othmann is a sharpshooting winger and a solid forechecker. 

"What still has to be proven," adds The Old Scout, "is how well – or not well – Othmann plays in the clutch. The game with the Wild will give us a litmus test."

The test for the team at large will be its ability to produce 100 percent focus and total hustle in every inch of the rink.

Will Cuylle, Braden Schneider and Zac Jones are among the other Kiddie Korps contributors who can make the formula work.

Actually the template for young-old success was established by Toronto kingmaker Conn Smythe eight decades ago at the Maple Leafs training camp.

"Youth is the answer in this game," said Smythe. "Only the kids have the drive, the fire, and the ambition. Put the kids with a few old guys who still like to win and the combination is unbeatable."

Smythe wasn't kidding. He started four rookie defensemen – Garth Boesch, Jim Thomson, Gus Mortson, Bill Barilko – out of five backliners and added freshmen up front.

If you haven't figured it out yet, those Leafs comprised the NHL's first dynasty. They won their first Stanley Cup that season and repeated in 1948 and 1949 while adding a fourth in 1951.

"For a 22-year-old rookie," said Calder Trophy-winner Howie Meeker, "it was a hell of a thrill."

Alas, the current model Rangers lack one vital element that the dynastic Leafs had – a capable captain, future Hall of Famer Syl Apps.

"We had a good blend," said Apps, "new young fellows, old players, good goal scorers and good, strong body checkers. We had wonderful balance."

What puzzles The Maven – not to mention innumerable Rangers fans – is why the general staff has failed to name a captain.

"They traded for J.T. Miller to provide leadership," adds The Old Scout, "so you would have thought that – by now – they'd have given him the captaincy."

The kids are here – and the vets who know how to score goals – but the absence of someone wearing the "C" could prove to be the Rangers' downfall.