NY Rangers’ Gabe Perreault Criminally Undervalued in 2023 NHL Re-Draft

New York Rangers forward Gabe Perreault should be much higher in a 2023 NHL Re-Draft.

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

The New York Rangers are desperate for some of the young talent they have drafted in recent years to develop into impactful NHL players.

One of the players they look to have hit on is Gabe Perreault. The No. 23 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, he looked like a completely different player with the Rangers after his AHL stint in the 2025-26 season.

However, not everyone is very high on Perreault as a player. One of those people is Corey Pronman of The Athletic, who did a re-draft of the 2023 class (subscription required). In a head-scratching move, he has actually moved the Rangers’ forward down his list.

Perreault lands in the “NHL Prospect” tier, coming in at No. 32, nine spots lower than he was actually selected. It is one of the biggest drops in the rankings for a first-round pick in the class, which is hard to fathom given the level of success he has already exhibited in the NHL.

Gabe Perreault disrespected in 2023 NHL re-draft

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

Over the final 23 games of the 2025-26 campaign, Perreault was nearly a point-per-game player. He recorded 19 points, scoring nine goals with 10 assists, and had a plus/minus of +4, an incredibly strong number when taking into account that New York finished last place in the Eastern Conference with only 77 points.

With how much the Rangers lost overall, having a positive plus/minus for that long of a stretch is impressive. Over that final 23-game span, the team did go 11-10-2, showing much more promise than the first 69 games of the year.

Perreault found a lot of chemistry playing alongside center Mika Zibanejad and right winger Alexis Lafreniere, leading to excellent production on the ice. It will be interesting to see if that is a combination that sticks moving forward.

He is the only prospect entering training camp who has top-six skills. They were on full display down the stretch, and he is locked into such a role heading into the 2026-27 season, whether it be as the No. 2 left winger behind Pavel Dorofeyev or as the No. 1 right winger alongside him.

Gabe Perreault already showcasing top-six upside

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

Perreault’s playmaking ability would pair nicely alongside the deadly left-handed shot of Dorofeyev, who was brought in to improve the team’s offensive production. If he remains at left wing, that same skill set will help get the most out of free agent signing Oliver Bjorkstrand, as well.

Whatever role head coach Mike Sullivan decides for his forwards, they are versatile enough to mix and match throughout the lineup. And he should have a chip on his shoulder, constantly being underrated and disrespected in offseason lists.

Inexplicably, Perreault was the No. 6 ranked prospect in the Rangers’ organization. An argument can be made that he should no longer qualify for such lists, but the fact that he did and was ranked so low was shocking.