Emerging NY Rangers Star Draws Comp to Flyers’ Trevor Zegras

A New York Rangers youngster has drawn a favorable comparison to Philadelphia Flyers star Trevor Zegras.

Mar 29, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Flyers center Trevor Zegras (46) reacts after scoring a goal against the Dallas Stars in overtime at Xfinity Mobile Arena. / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The 2025-26 NHL season has been a disappointment overall for the New York Rangers, who are going to miss the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

However, the campaign has not been a total loss. The Rangers have been playing at a much higher level down the stretch, creating some optimism and hope for the future because their success has been driven by younger players.

One player who has stood out is Gabe Perreault. After some difficulties earlier in the season, which included a stint back in the AHL to get more seasoning, he has emerged as a legitimate building block for the franchise.

Evaluators really like his game. One Eastern Conference scout even compared him to Philadelphia Flyers dynamic star, Trevor Zegras.

Gabe Perreault compared to Trevor Zegras

Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers right wing Gabe Perreault (94) skates against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

“He’s more honest than Zegras, and arguably as smart and as skilled,” the scout said, via Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic (subscription required). “When he cheats (for offense), he cheats smartly.”

A first-round pick, No. 9 overall in the 2019 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks, Zegras spent the first five seasons of his career out west before being acquired in an offseason trade by the Flyers on June 23, 2025, in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, a fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft and Ryan Poehling.

In his age-24 campaign, Zegras has been very productive for Philadelphia. He has helped put them in a position to snap their five-year playoff drought by recording 65 points, scoring 25 goals with 40 assists, and a +2.

The Rangers are certainly hopeful that Perreault can be a driving force behind them, snapping their playoff drought next season.

The New York rookie is a natural playmaker, averaging 4.2 scoring-chance assists per 60 minutes, which is behind only Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin, who was traded to the Los Angeles Kings ahead of the deadline, per AllThreeZones tracking.

A MOMENT HE'LL NEVER FORGET 👏

Gabe Perreault has his first career hat trick!

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— NHL (@NHL) April 4, 2026

There was a cold stretch for Perreault even after he returned to the NHL when he recorded only three points in a 17-game stretch in January and February. But the team stuck with their star prospect and is now seeing returns on their investment.

He started seeing more time on the ice with Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere and his production started ticking up. New York has gone 11-7-2 over the last 20 games and Perreault has recorded 17 of his 25 points this season during that span.

On the season, he has 10 goals, including a hat trick in a recent 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings, to go along with 15 assists.

The sky’s the limit for a supremely talented youngster who possesses the all-around ability every coach loves to see.