Gabe Perreault is expected to jump into a prominent role with the New York Rangers. After just one NHL practice, it's clear that Perreault will be thrown right into the fire.
The 19-year-old practiced on a line alongside J.T. Miller and Alexis Lafrenière, a decision that was made by Peter Laviolette to help him thrive immediately.
“It’s a starting point. Just watching him play, and we saw him play a couple times live – I’ve watched on TV – you get an opportunity to see somebody play,” Laviolette said. “You see their hockey sense and their skill and their ability. It's a chance for him to come in and show what he can do. … I think Laf thinks a lot like he does, and JT’s a guy that's been around a long time and could really help mentor.”
Not to mention, Perreault also took some reps on the second power-play unit, a position we could see him in through the final stretch of the season.
If Perreault hasn’t even played in an NHL game yet, why does Laviolette already have so much faith in him?
“He’s played at some high-level hockey if you think about his career,” Peter Laviolette said of Perreault. “And he’s succeeded in all of it. I think a lot of that, he’s learned along the way. This is the next step, the biggest step… Now it is another step and another challenge for him, but he’s answered those challenges along the way. Like I said, his ability to see the ice, his hands to create and think the game through are at a real high level.”
With eight games remaining, the Rangers are fighting to make the playoffs and Perreault finds himself right in right in the thick of this intense push where every game and every point are critical.
There seems to be no fear that Perreault won’t be ready for this big moment though. He’s played at both the World Junior Championship and NCAA Tournament, which has helped prepare him for the trials and tribulations of the NHL.
“Some of the moments he’s played in throughout his career or even recently have been big moments,” said Laviolette. “He’s one of the people who excel in those situations and has been a leader on those teams, so to get an opportunity to look at him in practice today, I think it was a good starting point.”
Perreault is not the only young prospect looking to make an impact in the Rangers’ lineup. Brennan Othmann and Brett Berard have come in and played some fantastic hockey. Don’t forget about Will Cuylle too who’s really progressed as a player throughout the year.
There’s a new sense of youth around the Rangers that is just refreshing and the arrival of Perreault feels like the official start of a new era.
