The Rangers’ Gabe Perreault is quickly becoming one of the top prospects in the NHL

OTTAWA – If you’re not already familiar with the name Gabe Perreault, that’s about to change.

The New York Rangers prospect has quickly become one of the best young players outside of the NHL. He is currently third in U.S. scoring at the 2025 World Junior Championships with four points in two games. Perreault had 10 points a year ago as an 18-year-old, which was an excellent start. Now in his second go-around, many scouts consider him to be one of the best players in the tournament.

Perreault is part of the three-headed monster that is Boston College’s top line along with Washington Capitals draft pick Ryan Leonard and top 2025 NHL Draft prospect James Hagens. Playing together all year, they are already the most dangerous line at the World Juniors, combining for 13 points in two games against Germany and Latvia.

“He’s a great guy, he makes everybody better,” Hagens said. “He is a special player who does so much to help us win.”

Perreault has 23 points in 16 games this year and 83 in 52 career NCAA games. No U-20 college player has surpassed him over the past two years. And it’s not entirely surprising either. Quebec native Sherbrooke (he grew up in the U.S. after his father, former NHLer Yanic, played with the Chicago Blackhawks) set a USA Hockey National Team Development Program single-season scoring record with 79 assists and 132 points in 2022 – 23. Better than Patrick Kane, better than Jack Hughes, better than Auston Matthews – better than anyone.

But still, Perreault fell to 23rd overall in the 2023 NHL Draft. The biggest knock against Perreault that year was his skating. It was especially evident on the bigger ice internationally, as he was almost always third back in transition. Perreault is most threatening when he’s standing still in open space – but in the NHL it’s hard to get around.

“You’d see his stride and there was no power there,” one scout said. “You’d see him on the ice with (Will) Smith or (Oliver) Moore and he’d get exposed out there. It didn’t hurt him against younger kids, but college kids would always expose him if he didn’t figure it out.”

But sure enough, some time in the weight room paid off. Perreault immediately looked like a better skater at the 2023 World Junior Summer Showcase, and that only improved as his freshman season progressed. Perreault’s skating isn’t a standout quality for him right now or anything, but it’s not a drawback – and it shouldn’t be an issue when he gets to the NHL.

“He’s not big, but I think he’s thicker now and he’s harder to knock the puck off,” FloHockey’s Chris Peters said. “Some of that strength has helped make him a better skater in terms of balance and being stable on the skates. He is more difficult to knock the puck off.”

So he has the numbers to back himself up and the perceived weaknesses aren’t as big of an issue anymore. Mix it all up and it looks like the Rangers have a solid prospect in the system.

The biggest question, however, is what type of player Perreault will be. He is almost certain to be in a top six role because his game is all about creating attack. The Rangers have had a difficult time with some of their top prospects in recent years, especially when there are no real options for them higher up the order.

Right now, Perreault figures to be a capable top-six forward who excels as a playmaker and can do serious damage on the power play. He loves the puck on his stick and seems to hold it much more effectively than he did in his draft year. Perreault is so smart on the ice, and his ability to incorporate more patience into the way he distributes the puck against faster, tougher competition in college has made him treacherous.

If Perreault is going to be successful in the NHL, he needs to be in an offensive role. He must have every opportunity to create chaos with the puck – but it will certainly not be as easy as it has been in the development ranks.

That discussion is more for a few months down the road when he inevitably turns pro. For now, the decision to stay in school instead of chasing money in the Rangers’ organization was the right call. He’s getting crucial minutes at BU, developing at his own pace and establishing himself as one of the most productive college wing players in recent memory.

And he has a chance to become a leader in a championship-winning national team effort – again.

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