It’s been 11 games since Gabe Perreault stepped back into a top-line role the Rangers hope he can claim permanently.
Saturday’s shootout victory over the Penguins was one of the more encouraging games Perreault has had skating next to No. 1 center Mika Zibanejad and captain J.T. Miller.
He bounced back from an ineffective first period to have an impactful second and third, in which the Rangers rookie was aggressive on the puck and threatening around the net.
Perreault ultimately led all Blueshirts with seven scoring chances, six high-danger chances and five rebound attempts, per Natural Stat Trick.
“We really think his game is coming,” head coach Mike Sullivan said Saturday. “We’re trying to help him grow his game in different aspects. But, as I said, the biggest thing for me that we were pleased about was just how we responded in the second and the third. It’s not easy, as a young player, to play with the types of players that he’s playing with, J.T. and Mika. There’s an expectation there when you play with players like that. What I’ll tell you is Meek and J.T., both, they really like Gabe and his game. They like playing with him because they see what we see. They see his offensive instincts, his ability to make plays.
“He’s still learning on the job, so to speak. So some of his skill set is still really raw, but everybody can see what he’s capable of. I think Mika and J.T. have done a great job just mentoring. When they come back to the bench, those guys, they’ve taken him under their wing, which I think is great for Gabe.”
As the team awaits further roster reconstruction before Friday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, the focus is on the kids in these inconsequential final games.
What they’re doing and what they’re not doing.
If they’re on the power play, the penalty kill, or on the ice in overtime.
Perreault logged his second-highest ice time of the season Saturday (17:59), just over one minute of which was spent on the power play.
He saw one shift in overtime.
And with just one assist over his 11 games on the first line, Perreault opted for the pass on a 2-on-1 rush with Zibanejad at a key moment in the third period.
“The skill that he has, and I think the more and more confidence he’s getting — you see him making more plays,” Zibanejad said. “You try that on that 2-on-1, try to get it back to me — I’m laughing, but I don’t care — like if that’s what he thinks is the best play, trust it. Trust it. Next time it goes through and I score and we’re happy. That’s a great play. It’s gonna be on my Instagram or whatever about him making a great play. So yeah, it’s been pretty good.”
The Rangers youth movement began well before the Olympic break.
Perreault is just one of a large rookie contingent that currently includes Noah Laba, Matthew Robertson, Scott Morrow, Brendan Brisson and waiver pickup Vincent Iorio.
At practices lately, they all stay on the ice late and come off together at the same time.
The shift in the locker room and organization is notable and necessary.
Even goalie Igor Shesterkin pointed it out unprompted after the win Saturday, saying it is time for the young players to develop.
Setting Perreault up for a long-term top-line role is just one way.
“When you’re coaching the offensive side of the puck, if you’re not careful, you can get in the way of instincts,” Sullivan said. “So with players like Gabe and players that are offensively gifted, we try to stay out of the way a little bit there. We tread softly because we don’t want to get in the way of their instincts.”
