With Panarin Gone, the Spotlight Shifts to Gabe Perreault in Rangers’ Rebuild
The New York Rangers are turning the page-again. After years of trying to balance contention with development, they’ve made a franchise-shifting move by trading Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings.
It’s the kind of deal that signals more than a roster shake-up. It’s a clear message: the future is now, and that future is wearing No.
That future is Gabe Perreault.
A Promising Prospect Ready for the Next Step
Perreault isn’t just another name in the pipeline. Drafted late in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft, he’s been on the radar since his days lighting it up with the U.S.
National Development Team. His breakout came at Boston College, where he didn’t just impress-he dominated.
Playing alongside Will Smith (now with the Sharks) and Ryan Leonard (now with the Capitals), Perreault racked up 19 goals and 41 assists in just 36 games during the 2023-24 season. He followed that with another strong campaign, posting 16 goals and 32 assists in 37 games his sophomore year.
After two standout seasons in the NCAA, Perreault made the leap to pro hockey. With the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, he wasted no time making an impact-10 goals and 7 assists in 20 games. That performance earned him a call-up to the Rangers, and while he’s still finding his footing in the NHL, the flashes of potential are impossible to ignore.
He’s a cerebral player with a sharp shot and elite playmaking instincts. His vision and creativity have already produced some highlight-reel passes in a Rangers jersey.
Defensively, he’s held his own, avoiding major miscues. The numbers-three goals and five assists in 24 games-don’t jump off the page, but context matters.
The entire team has struggled to generate offense, and Perreault has often been tasked with finding his rhythm in a lineup that’s lacked consistency.
If there’s one area that stands out as a work in progress, it’s his skating. He’s been caught from behind on a few odd-man rushes, and at the NHL level, that half-step can make all the difference. But that’s something that can be developed-and it’s far from a deal-breaker.
Opportunity Born from Change
Let’s not sugarcoat it: losing Panarin is a gut punch. He was an elite playmaker, a consistent point-per-game force, and the engine behind much of the Rangers’ offense.
Even at 34, he led the team with 57 points in 52 games. His ability to elevate the players around him was unmatched, and his absence will be felt in every zone.
But with every departure comes an opportunity, and for Perreault, this is it.
Before the trade, he’d already started to earn more ice time, including some shifts alongside J.T. Miller and Mika Zibanejad.
Now, with Panarin out of the picture, there’s a clear path for Perreault to lock down a spot in the top six. That’s significant.
Too often in recent years, the Rangers have slotted their top prospects into bottom-six roles, asking them to grind out minutes instead of giving them the chance to grow in skill-focused situations.
This time, the approach appears different-and that’s a good thing.
Zibanejad is having a strong bounce-back season, with 23 goals and 29 assists through 56 games. Miller, after a slow start, has found his groove with 12 points in his last 10 outings. That’s the kind of environment where a young playmaker like Perreault can thrive-skating with high-end talent, getting touches on the puck, and building chemistry with proven scorers.
And it’s not just at even strength. Perreault should be a fixture on the power play moving forward.
His vision and passing ability are tailor-made for the man advantage, and his lack of top-end speed becomes less of an issue in those situations. With Panarin gone, the Rangers need someone to step into that creative role on the half wall.
Perreault might not be there yet, but he has the tools to grow into it.
The Bigger Picture: A Rebuild with Real Stakes
The Rangers find themselves at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. It’s not where they wanted to be, but it’s where they are-and that brings clarity.
This isn’t about chasing a wild card spot. It’s about building something sustainable.
And that starts with player development.
Perreault is the centerpiece of that effort. He’s the top prospect in the system, and the organization can’t afford to mishandle his development the way they’ve done with others in the past. This is a chance to do things differently-to give a young talent real minutes, real responsibility, and the support to grow into a core piece of the franchise.
The Panarin trade was a bold move. Now it’s time for the Rangers to double down on that decision by committing fully to their youth. That means letting Perreault play through mistakes, giving him consistent linemates, and putting him in situations where his skill can shine.
There’s no guarantee he becomes a star-but there’s no question he has the potential. And if the Rangers are serious about this rebuild, they need to give him every chance to reach it.
Because if Gabe Perreault hits his ceiling, this rebuild might not take as long as people think.