Gabe Perreault earns promotion, makes impact in Rangers’ win over Flyers
Mike Sullivan’s plan for promising rookie forward Gabe Perreault looks like it’s working out better than even the New York Rangers coach expected, so far.
Before a Saturday matinee against the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden, Sullivan spelled out for the media how the promising 20-year-old forward
In his second game since returning, Perreault made his coach look prescient with what will work for the 23rd player taken in the 2023 NHL Draft going forward.
Perreault was a key contributor all game as the Rangers rallied from two goals down in the third period to stun the Flyers 5-4 in a shootout. His most important moment came midway through the third, when he made a nifty move off a broken play to gain zone entry and got the puck to J.T. Miller, who set up Vincent Trocheck’s goal with 9:13 remaining that cut their deficit to 4-3.
Being in position to make that play was a testament to Perreault earning his way onto the ice in crunch time in a crucial game against a Metropolitan Division opponent.
Mike Sullivan didn’t wait long to move Gabe Perreault into top 6 against Flyers
Perreault began the contest on the third line with Will Cuylle and Noah Laba, a departure from his three-game stint with the Rangers in November, when he was given a top-six role. Sullivan sought to tamp down the pressure and expectations initially — but left the door open a crack.
“Our observation when we had him up the last time was, it was a really difficult task,” Sullivan said Saturday morning Saturday morning. “And our thought process was, when we put him right up into the top six, is we understand the type of player that he is, and we’re trying to put him in a position to be successful. He’s an offensive player with good offensive instincts, and so our intention was to put him with our best offensive people, and that’s what we did.
“The flip side of that is you’re going to play against the opponent’s top players. You’re going to get the top defense players. You’re going to get the very best players that you’re playing against. And so, this time around, we thought more in terms of, ‘Would it make sense for Gabe if we put him around some different people, and maybe he doesn’t get the top defense pair?’ It gives him an opportunity to act on his instincts and do his thing that way, and then we’ll watch him and we’ll see. If there’s an opportunity to move him up, we’ll move him up.”
It was as if Perreault listened — and then followed his coach’s blueprint for him to a T.
Perreault was a factor in a strong Rangers first period, helping to drive play with Laba and Cuylle. The trio established a strong forecheck and generally dominated possession and chances while they were out at 5 on 5. Perreault hit a wide-open Laba with a perfect pass from behind the net for a point-blank chance that was stopped by Flyers goaltender Samuel Ersson. He also fearlessly went to the front of the net and had several chances on loose pucks and shots from the point.
With the line also getting regular time on the second power-play unit, Perreault’s shot toward the net during a man advantage was knocked down in front, and nearly led to a goal by first Cuylle and then Laba.
With J.T. Miller potentially out a while, Gabe Perreault’s importance increases
Perreault was engaged and on the puck through the period, and Sullivan liked what he saw. Keeping to his word in the pregame news conference, the coach moved Perreault up to replace Conor Sheary on the Miller-Trocheck line to start the second period – where he stayed for the rest of the game.
“We liked Gabe’s game, we thought he was playing really well, we thought we’d give it a shot,” Sullivan said afterward, looking very much like the cat who ate the canary. “I had this conversation with you guys before the game, so it’s probably nothing that you didn’t expect, so when you saw it, I hope that’s proof that I’m speaking the truth to you guys.”
Perreault was a plus-1 and posted a 73.3 expected goal share while on at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick. He played a season-high 15:31.
Time will tell if Sullivan decides that Perreault, who scored his first NHL goal in a 2-1 overtime victory Thursday, has done enough to remain in the top six on a regular basis. Based on his pregame comments, it seems likely that the coach will be cautious with Perreault’s assignments and will make decisions about his role on a game-by-game, situational basis.
But with Miller leaving midway through the third period with an upper-body injury that could keep him out for a while, the Rangers are going to need all the help they can get.
Perreault’s elite hands, vision and hockey sense probably meant that he wasn’t going to stay in the minors for long. Yet his effectiveness and confidence on the ice against the Flyers, even when tasked with tough matchups and creating offense in big moments, have to have Sullivan thinking his prized rookie is ready for more responsibility going forward.
One of Sullivan’s responsibilities is developing the younger players on the roster — particularly Perreault, the organization’s top prospect. It’s looking like Perreault is more than ready to make his coach’s job much easier.
