NY Rangers Emerging Star Rightfully off Board in 2023 NHL Redraft

A 2023 NHL Re-Draft has the New York Rangers selection shooting up the board.

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers right wing Gabe Perreault (94) celebrates his hat trick against the Detroit Red Wings during the third period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers haven’t done a great job in recent years of drafting and developing young talent.

They had a lot of opportunities in the early 2020s to load up on high-upside players but missed out time and time again. However, there is one player who looks like he is going to be a hit as a top-six forward for years to come: Gabe Perreault.

The No. 23 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, there were some mixed feelings about Perreault as a prospect. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic is one person who believed in his talent and pedigree, under the impression he was being undervalued heading into the draft.

It is still early, but Wheeler looks like he is going to get this one right. So much so, in a redraft of the 2023 class (subscription required), Perreault is off the board well before the Rangers come on the clock to select him.

Gabe Perreault moves up in 2023 NHL Re-Draft

Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers right wing Gabe Perreault (94) skates with the puck against the Detroit Red Wings during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He moves up 16 spots, landing with the Philadelphia Flyers at pick No. 7. In the final rankings Wheeler made, Perreault was No. 7, so New York found a massive amount of value, finally hitting on a draft pick.

“Those are direct from my final draft ranking in 2023, and they hold true today. I don’t write a “prospects I was right about” piece opposite my “prospects I was wrong about” but … I’m going to be right about Perreault. I nailed this one, and I’m proud of it. If you watched some of his games late in the year with the Rangers, you’ll know,” Wheeler wrote.

The jump up the board for Perreault is an appropriate one. He is only 21 years old with 54 games of NHL experience under his belt, but you can tell when a player has that it factor to become an impact performer; he possesses that.

After a slow start with the Rangers in the 2025-26 campaign, Perreault went down to the AHL. Upon his return to the NHL, something clicked. He looked like a completely new player, cementing his place in the team’s lineup.

There were still a few rough patches, such as a 17-game stretch in which he produced only three points, scoring two goals with one assist, and the team went 4-11-2. But that stretch was followed up by a strong finish to the campaign.

Over the final 23 games, Perreault was nearly a point-per-game player. He recorded 19 points, lighting the lamp nine times and handing out 10 assists. New York performed at a much higher level as a team with him coming into his own, going 11-10-2 over that span.

There is a lot to like about his game, led by his excellent playmaking ability on the wing. He should be a mainstay in the top six for the Rangers for years to come.