Breaking Down Which Young Forward Might Break Out for NY Rangers

Which young forward for the New York Rangers could have a breakout season?

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan speaks to reporters after an 8-1 win against the Washington Capitals at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers will be kicking off the season at the end of the year, and the hope will be for this to be a much-improved group. In order for them to get back into the playoff conversation, the performance of some young players will be important. 

Coming off a season in which it felt like the Rangers hit rock bottom, the team was hungry to improve this summer. New York added a ton of new talent, both at forward and on the blueline. 

The Rangers had no shortage of areas to improve this summer, but through free agency, the NHL Draft, and on the trade market, New York looks a lot better on paper. 

Now, as training camp gets set to kick off soon, the team will be hopeful that the new talent they added will provide a jolt. However, toward the end of last year, the Rangers also saw some encouraging signs from young players who will be set for key roles this coming campaign. 

Gabe Perreault Poised for Breakout Season 

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers right wing Gabe Perreault (94) skates against the Washington Capitals during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With some good young talent on the team, arguably the most important young player to have a breakout season is Perreault. The young forward played about half of the season with the Rangers and really came on after the Olympic break. 

Getting on the first line with Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere helped the development of Perreault immensely, and these three had some great chemistry on the ice. 

Even though New York added an excellent goal scorer in Pavel Dorofeyev, the success of the first line could result in him going to the second line to at the very least start the year. 

Last year, Perreault totaled 27 points with 12 goals and 15 assists. The young winger is seen as a playmaker on the outside, but with 12 goals, including a hat trick at the end of the year, New York might have a special talent on their team. 

As the Rangers look for ways to get better next year, the development of their young players like Perreault will be key. There is reason to believe that he can be a top-six forward for the team, and his improvement will help New York get into playoff contention. 

Overall, while there are other good young players on the team, Perreault feels like the one who could really take a massive step and become a fixture for the team for years to come.