Gabe Perreault makes highly anticipated NHL debut with Rangers: ‘It was super surreal’

Wednesday night was a special one at Madison Square Garden for many reasons. For one, the New York Rangers grabbed a crucial two points with a 5-4 overtime win against the Minnesota Wild. In the process, the Rangers’ top prospect, Gabe Perreault, made his NHL debut.

Perreault took his rookie lap in warmups, an unforgettable experience for any newcomer, but even more special given the fact that it came in “The World’s Most Famous Arena.”

“The history behind MSG and this building is pretty awesome. To finally step on the ice for the first time was pretty cool,” Perreault said said Wednesday

While skating around the empty ice, the 19-year-old cracked a smile when he saw several of his former Boston College teammates — the same ones who were at Ryan Leonard’s debut with the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night in Boston — lined up, wearing his college jersey and slamming the glass. One of them was Drew Fortescue, New York’s third-round pick in the 2023 draft.

“It was pretty funny seeing all of them on the glass, they were pretty excited,” Perreault said after the game.

Perreault spent two years starring at Boston College, totaling 108 points in 73 games. He played his final game with the Eagles on Sunday, a 3-1 loss to Denver in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. He then signed an entry-level contract with the Rangers on Monday, practiced with them Tuesday and was in the starting lineup Wednesday.

Also in attendance for his debut were Perreault’s parents, brother and sister. His father, Yanic Perreault, spent 14 seasons in the NHL playing 859 games with six teams. Yanic played in the 2007 NHL All-Star Game, and six times scored at least 20 goals in a season.

Yanic spent much of his NHL career wearing No. 94, the same number that Gabe donned with the Rangers on Wednesday night. Growing up, Perreault often wore a number with a four in it, most recently No. 34 at BC.

However, 34 is taken by Arthur Kaliyev with the Rangers, forcing Perreault to find some new digits.

Like father, like son.

“When I talked to my dad, he suggested it a little bit,” Perreault said.

Gabe Perreault plays “solid game” in key Rangers win

Perreault did not record a point in his debut, but that is not to say he didn’t have an impact. The 2023 first-round draft pick recorded three shots on goal in his 13:38 TOI, which included 3:01 on the power play.

“It was super surreal … having some friends and family in the building was also unreal,” he said.

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette was impressed with Perreault’s debut.

“I thought he played a solid game, jumping into a big situation like that,” Laviolette said. 

Laviolette showed confidence in the youngster by putting him on the ice when it mattered most. Perreault had a good look on a late third-period power play, but Wild goalie Filip Gustavsson made the save.

“His hands and his head are at a level where he can contribute [in the NHL],” Laviolette explained.

Perreault also fired a shot on goal with seven seconds to go in regulation that was denied by Gustavsson. That once again showed Laviolette’s trust in him, having the teenager out there late in a tie game the Rangers absolutely could not afford to lose, given where they sit in the Eastern Conference standings.

“He was definitely excited. We’ve been able to see his skill the past couple of days,” defenseman K’Andre Miller said. “He’s a really skilled player and I’m excited to see what he’s capable of.”

“So skilled,” Artemi Panarin added. “You can see that on the power play.”

Perreault made a good first impression in his debut with the Rangers, who are now even in points with the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card with two weeks remaining in the regular season. Perhaps Perreault’s arrival can give New York the shot of energy it needs going forward to secure a playoff berth for the fourth straight season.

“I’m sure the next one and the one after that will be a little bit more natural for him as opposed to the first one,” Laviolette concluded, “but I thought he played really well.”