A disappointing season has Rangers fans dreaming of better days ahead, with visions of top prospect Gabe Perreault bursting on the scene as a top-six difference maker.
And while many observers believe that time is coming soon − "It's not if, it's when," one scout told lohud.com, part of the USA TODAY Network − a few advocated for a patient approach with the dynamic 19-year-old winger.
Perreault has yet to reveal whether he'll sign his entry-level contract at the conclusion of his sophomore season, with his Boston College squad set to open the NCAA Championship tournament as the No. 1 seed against Bentley on Friday at 2 p.m. A decision will come at some point soon after − but if he does sign, don't expect the Rangers to burn a year of team control by having him debut for a few games this spring. The contract would begin for the 2025-26 campaign, with no assurances he'd go straight to the NHL.
No one questions whether Perreault has the skill or hockey acumen to play at the highest level. That's been clear throughout his two seasons at BC, during which he's racked up 107 points (34 goals and 73 assists) across 71 games played while cementing his reputation as a playmaking savant. But as another scout said, "The only thing that would stop him is not being physically ready for it."
To his credit, Perreault has added more than 10 pounds to his 5-foot-11 frame since his 2023 draft year. The former first-round pick is now listed at 178 pounds on BC's website, but a bit more muscle and a touch more speed may be needed to navigate the rough NHL waters and create the necessary separation.
"He's been diligent in his weight training," BC head coach Greg Brown said by phone last week. "He's not a bigger guy, so he's going to have to be strong to be able to go through the rigors of pro hockey. He works hard at it for an undersized player. You don't have to be a bodybuilder, but you do want to have strength to be able to compete against men in pro hockey."
By all accounts, Perreault − who was also a standout for Team USA while winning back-to-back World Junior titles the last two years − is at the top of the Rangers' organizational prospect list, mainly for his notable offensive talents. But his focus shifted this season in preparation for the next step.
"He's been more detailed, more sound all over the ice," Brown said. "His game has been improving to where he's not just helping us with the offense. Of course, that's the going to be his calling card. It is his calling card, but he's become more reliable in every aspect."
"A couple examples you see are on the forecheck, where he's getting in quickly and disrupting the other team’s breakout really well," the coach went on to say. "He's added that to his game. He always has demonstrated a high level when we've been in possession of the puck, but now he's being more efficient to retrieve pucks, win puck battles, get the pucks back, things like that."
Perreault's commitment to those areas may explain why his production has dipped, dropping from a gaudy 1.67 points per game as a freshman to 1.34 in his sophomore season. But Brown views it as a positive trade-off, with Perreault's 47 points (15 goals and 32 assists) still good enough to tie for ninth in the country.
"You have to be strong in areas when you don't have the puck," said Brown, who spent three years as a Rangers' assistant coach before taking the head job at BC in 2022. "For younger guys that are high level, they spend so much of the time with the puck and possessing it, so those other skills are important to develop as you move up the up the ladder."
Perreault is striving to get better away from the puck, but his skills when it's on his stick easily project as the best in the Rangers' pipeline.
He's shown that while playing on the NCAA's most-feared line with Capitals prospect Ryan Leonard and projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 draft, James Hagens. Brown insisted, "They're all equal parts in making that line go," with Perreault's knack for reading defenses and finding soft spots in coverage leading to his team-best assist numbers.
Gabe Perreault with an unreal assist in the beanpot for Boston College‼️🤯 He’s gonna look good for the Rangers #NYR@BlueLineStationpic.twitter.com/GocdlFsC9E
— Dan Godlewski (@Danthfc_) February 4, 2025
That should translate to the next level, where scouts believe his experience playing with high-end linemates will help him slide into a similar play-driving role.
That would represent a shift for the Rangers, who typically start their prospects at the bottom of their lineup and ask them to earn their way up. But that approach has sputtered development for Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Lafrenière and others − some of whom arrived in the league before they were ready − while simultaneously fracturing their confidence.
Multiple sources believe the best path for Perreault is not to rush the process. Let him continue to mature physically, whether that be with another year in college or with time in the AHL. But when he does make the NHL jump, don't jerk him around or bury him as a misplaced fourth-liner. Allow him to grow in a situation that suits his impressive skill set.
If that means waiting a little longer to ensure he's ready, so be it.
"A lot of it takes time," Brown said. "You just have to keep putting your time in in the weight room, but he's certainly stronger than he was a year ago."
Drew Fortescue update
Perreault isn't the only Rangers' prospect to watch when BC begins its quest for a national title.
Drew Fortescue will be logging a heavy workload as one of the Eagles' go-to defenseman.
The Pearl River native's stats won't wow anyone, with zero goals and 10 assists in 34 games played this season. But he's posted a plus-28 rating while earning Brown's trust in what the coach described as a "dual role."
"He defends against top lines often," he explained. "But he also plays with our top players in other situations to help transport pucks and move pucks up to our forwards."
Brown also raved about the 19-year-old's penalty killing, which he believes will "be one his main attributes when he turns pro."
The 2023 third-round pick isn't the biggest or most skilled, but the lefty-shooting D processes the game well and has been a reliable player for the Eagles in a few key areas.
"He's a defender and a puck mover more than an offensive defenseman," Brown said. "He really can break pucks out well, and he defends smartly. He uses his stick very well. He gets body positioned. He's not a big, strong guy who just manhandles defenders. He uses his stick and his good skating to defend and separate guys from the puck."
Like Perreault, scouts believe the 6-foot-2, 180-pound Fortescue will need to bulk up before becoming a realistic NHL option.
His ETA is considered a bit further out than Perreault, which is why it would come as no surprise if he returns to BC for his junior season.
Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Is NY Rangers top prospect Gabe Perreault NHL ready?
