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What has Gabe Perreault shown in his first two games with the New York Rangers since being called up?
Well, the Rangers brought him up from the American Hockey League to provide an offensive spark, and he’s certainly shown some impressive offensive traits.
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Playing on a line alongside Mika Zibanejad and J.T. Miller, Perreault has held his own, while he’s also contributing on the power play.
You can see the talent is there with Perreault, but we just don’t have him completely have a command of the game the same way as he did in the AHL or at the NCAA level.
The 20-year-old is still adapting to the pace of play in the NHL.
“We’ve seen some really good things he’s done. Obviously he’s got real good offensive instincts, sees the play really well,” Sullivan said of Perreault. “He thinks the game on a high level. I think where his opportunity for growth and improvement is really just strength on the puck and a little bit of quickness. And I think they go hand in hand.
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“As a young player, it’s just physical maturity. The speed of the game and the size and the strength of the players at this level is second to none. For most young players, that’s one of the challenges in making the jump to being an impact player at this level.”
Explaining Mike Sullivan’s Cautious Approach With Gabe Perreault
Sullivan has been taking a cautious approach with Perreault. The 20-year-old forward is averaging 13:26 minutes over his two games with the Rangers.
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While Sullivan voiced the importance of giving Perreault a top-six role, he’s also put Perreault on the team’s third line with Noah Laba and Conor Sheary in order not to overwhelm the young forward with defensive responsibilities he may not be fully prepared for given his lack of NHL experience.
