Rangers’ rookie Gabe Perreault feeling ‘more settled in’ after first two NHL games
Gabe Perreault is just two games into his career with the New York Rangers, and while he’s still looking for that first NHL point, the Boston College standout has already taken plenty away from his first week as a pro.
While it was a whirlwind going from losing in the regional finals of the NCAA Tournament with BC on March 30 to making his Rangers’ debut at Madison Square Garden three days later, things are settling down for Perreault, and he is settling in.
“It’s been good, super fast,” the Rangers’ first-round pick (No. 23) in the 2023 NHL Draft said Sunday. “Not as much time. Kind of getting settled in more and more each day, so that’s been going well … Each day I’ve been getting more and more settled in. It’s kind of making it easier day by day, keep going from here.”
Perreault is one of several players who are making the jump from college hockey straight to the NHL, and he’s finding that the main difference is speed. The game is so much faster at the NHL level, and that can prove difficult for a 19-year-old to handle.
However, Perreault has handled it like a pro thus far. He played well in his NHL debut, a 5-4 overtime win over the Minnesota Wild on April 2, and had some looks three days later in a 4-0 loss to the New Jersey Devils as he continues to learn from those around him.
“Growing up I was in Chicago and I saw a lot of Panarin,” the son of former NHL center Yanic Perreault said. “I think seeing him live, trying to take little things, obviously he’s unbelievable, so trying to take little things each day from all of those guys.”
During his first two games, Perreault has been given top-six minutes playing alongside J.T. Miller and Alexis Lafreniere. This may be the most valuable part of Perreault’s start to his NHL career, as he’s been able to pick the brains of his line mates after each shift.
“It’s been good,” Perreault said of playing with Miller and Lafreniere. “Obviously those are two pretty talented players. I think we’ve had a decent amount of chances, some good shifts. If I get to keep going with those guys, it’ll be good. We’ll see, but it’s been really good overall. When you’re playing with two guys like that, high-caliber, it’s pretty fun.”
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Gabe Perreault experiencing learning curve on the power play
Aside from adjusting to the pace of the NHL, one of the biggest learning curves for Perreault comes on the power play, where coach Peter Laviolette has been giving him reps on the second unit. They’ve been unsuccessful to this point but have generated some decent chances.
“That first game we had a couple looks, obviously didn’t get one,” he said. “Just keep improving each game and I think it’ll come. Especially that other unit, they’re getting a lot of chances and I think we are too.”
The Rangers’ power play as a whole has been abysmal this season — 27th overall and with two goals in their past 43 chances, including 0-for-2 with a shorthanded goal allowed against the Devils.
Adjusting to the speed of NHL penalty-killers is something that will take time for a kid who was playing college hockey a week ago.
“Coming out of college, the NHL (penalty) kill is a lot quicker, they’re on you right away, so you really have zero time on the walls,” explained center Jonny Brodzinski, who plays on the second unit with Perreault. “Trying to talk to him that I’m going to be really quick for support on a lot of those if I’m playing the bumper position. Just knowing that he has me there for support, that’s the only way that you can really relieve some of that pressure at the NHL level.”
The Rangers have just six games remaining in the regular season and are four points behind the Montreal Canadiens, who hold the second wild card in the Eastern Conference. New York may have to win all of its remaining games to earn its fourth consecutive playoff berth.
That’s a tall task for a team that hasn’t won three straight games since Nov. 14-19. Hopefully they’ll get some scoring help from Perreault, who will have to continue to adjust to the NHL level.
“For him, just knowing that they’re going to be coming extremely fast,” Brodzinski said. “He’s got to learn how to navigate that and figure it out at this level.”
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