The arrival of Gabe Perreault in Rangers brings excitement, expectations for the best perspective

TARRYTOWN, NY – Every game that Gabe Perreault plays for the rest of the season will have importance. The New York Rangers are in the middle of a Jolly race, fighting to keep their season alive.

The pressure of high leverage games will not be new for the 19 year old Perreault, even if the NHL phase will be. He played in two games of Golden Medicine at the Junior World Championships, winning both. And, only two days ago, he adapted to Boston College in a winning NCAA regional match against Denver.

The Eagles have lost, 3-1, ending both their season and the hockey career of the Perreault college. The Rangers then signed Perreault, their main perspective and the choice of the first round of 2023, the following day.

“Obviously you want to have an impact, but I’m not trying to set crazy expectations,” Perreault said to a greater crowd than the normal of journalists in the locker room of the Rangers Tuesday. “I’m just trying to improve my lines and improve my teammates and help the team win.”

Perreault, who had 108 points in 73 university career games For two seasons in BostonHe said to choose to leave college and his closest friends there was not an easy decision. In the end, however, he believed it was the right time to jump. He believes he has taken a physical step in his second year season – the Boston College roster claims to have gone from 165 pounds as a serial number to 178 pounds this year – and has perfected both offensive and defensive details in his game.

Perreault has frequently told about the general manager of the Rangers Chris Drury in recent weeks. He also quickly listened to the new teammates after signing with the Rangers, including the enthusiastic texts of Chris Kreider, a former Boston College player, and Vincent Trocheck.

“Unfortunately his season (college) ended,” said coach Peter Laviolette. “But lucky for us, he is now a member of the New York Rangers.”

Ranger are not the only team affected by the early exit of Boston College. Agegles line by Perreault, Ryan Leonard, choice n. 8 in the draft of 2023, Signed with Washington Monday. If the Rangers sneak into the playoffs, the capital will almost certainly play. This could mean that Perreault and Leonard take ice against each other. Perreault said he spoke some of the possibility, but they were trying not to look too far during the university season.

Based on Tuesday’s practice, Perreault will have the opportunity to show his skills together with quality offensive players. Laviolette has not confirmed if her new player will debut on Wednesday against The Wild, but the coach put him on a practice line with the left wing Alexis Lafrenière and the JT Miller center, two of the best offensive producers of the team. Miller often communicated with Perreault during the exercises. Wearing n. 94-the same number that his father, Yanic, wore more during his debutant NHL-the career he also worked on the second power-play unit. All the indications are that it will play.

“I think Laf thinks very much like him, and Jt is a boy who has been around for a long time and (he can) really help him guide him,” said Laviolette. “It’s just a starting point, but I thought they had a nice appearance.”

Added the Brennan Othmann wing: “He is playing with two players who are trying to score goals and lead a line, and Gabe has the ability to find those guys”.

The 22 -year -old Othmann met Perreault at the Rangers Development Camp in recent years and were in contact throughout the season. Othmann cheered for his friend to win a NCAA title during the university season, but he also believes that “he has a great opportunity” now that he has become a professional. The two young attackers both stay in a hotel while approaching the team and went out on Monday evening after Perreault’s arrival.

The Rangers exchanged Kaapo Kakko, Jimmy Vesey and Reilly Smith during the season, which opened the doors to younger players such as Othmann, Brett Berard and now Perreault. Othmann likes to have another young face around and, in past development fields, he quickly took note of Perreault’s game skills.

“When we did things line, he always seemed to find lanes under skates, sticks or whatever could be,” Othmann said. “He is not the biggest boy in the world, but I think he gives him a little advantage because he is so elusive.”

“I think everyone in the room, everyone in the organization are happy that it is here, and is excited,” said Othmann, who added that he is happy to have another person to leave the hotel with.

The striker Ducks Cutter Gauthier, who played with Perreault at Boston College in 2023-24, said at the beginning of this season that the forward rangers can play games from his ass that I had never seen before. ” While Perreault has put in place bright offensive numbers throughout the college, he knows that he will have a more difficult time at the NHL level. The speed of the game jumped out in its first practice.

“It will certainly be faster, but I hope to be able to jump,” he said.

“He played a high -level hockey if you think about his career and what he has done, and he managed to everything,” added Laviolette. “Now it’s another step, another challenge.”

(Photo: Matt Krohn / USA Today)