\u201cIt was kind of like, \u2018Oh, I can play with these guys,’\u201d Perreault said. \u201cWhen I started playing with Mika quite a bit, I think I\u2019ve made a lot of strides since that. He\u2019s been really good. I\u2019ve said it before, but it\u2019s awesome having a guy like that to talk to on the daily and learn things from.\u201d<\/p>\n
The last 20 games, during which the Rangers have gone 11-7-2, have solidified that feeling. Perreault has collected 17 of his 25 total points (10 goals and 15 assists) in that span, including his first career hat trick<\/a> in Saturday\u2019s 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s becoming a great player right in front of us,\u201d captain J.T. Miller said that day.<\/p>\n An Eastern Conference scout who\u2019s kept a close eye on Perreault likened him to the Philadelphia Flyers\u2019 dynamic forward, Trevor Zegras \u2014 except in Perreault\u2019s case, he\u2019s seeing fewer risky decisions and more of the responsible all-around play coaches crave.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s more honest than Zegras, and arguably as smart and as skilled,\u201d said the scout, who predicted Perreault will be a point-per-game player moving forward. \u201cWhen he cheats (for offense), he cheats smartly.\u201d<\/p>\n Perreault\u2019s hockey IQ and vision have always been his calling cards<\/a>, leading to some dazzling passes in recent weeks. He averages 4.2 scoring-chance assists per 60 minutes, ranking No. 3 on the team behind Zibanejad and traded star Artemi Panarin, according to AllThreeZones tracking.<\/p>\n Those traits are beginning to manifest in other areas as well.<\/p>\n Sullivan pointed to improved \u201cquickness\u201d as evidence of how well he\u2019s reading the game, with Perreault showing a nose for disruption because he\u2019s thinking faster than his foot speed might indicate. As a result, his defense, which was considered a potential weakness coming out of Boston College last year, \u201chas actually been fine,\u201d according to the scout.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s the offensive side of the puck where the 2023 first-round pick has a chance to flourish. Sullivan saw the first goal of Saturday\u2019s hat trick, in which Perreault made a deceptive adjustment after receiving a pass from Zibanejad, as a shining example of what can happen when he lets his instincts take over.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you guys go back and watch it, just his awareness to be able to change the (shooting) angle,\u201d the coach said. \u201cHe pulls (the puck) 6 inches towards his body. That opens up the lane to allow him to score that goal. No. 1, he sees it, and then he has the stick skills to be able to execute on it.\u201d<\/p>\n RIGHT ON TARGET \ud83e\udee1 pic.twitter.com\/f4RtiDJ1uY<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 New York Rangers (@NYRangers) April 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n For an organization that\u2019s traded away high-scoring veterans such as Panarin and Chris Kreider and lacks top-end prospects<\/a>, Perreault stands out as a welcome anomaly. New York has a long history of draft mistakes<\/a>, but snagging the U.S. National Team Development Program product at No. 23 is looking like a steal.<\/p>\n \u201cThe market was really dumb to let him slide that far,\u201d the scout said bluntly.<\/p>\n Perreault\u2019s emergence inspires hope that the Rangers have at least one young forward to build their top six around. He\u2019s looked the part for well over a month now, but how high is his ceiling?<\/p>\n Sullivan laid out a two-part plan to help the 5-foot-11, 180-pounder maximize his potential, starting with an offseason program to add strength.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have the resources and the wherewithal with our strength conditioning staff and our team nutritionist, and we\u2019re going to surround him with all the resources to try to set him up for success there, Sullivan said. \u201cIt will help with his ability to protect pucks, to create separation, to be stiffer in the puck battles, to be harder at the net front, to be better on the wall, because he\u2019ll have a stronger center of gravity.\u201d<\/p>\n Doing so could lead to a more diverse offensive profile. Much of Perreault\u2019s damage has come off the rush, where he\u2019s averaging 10.5 shots per 60 minutes, as opposed to only 3.15 off the cycle. In theory, bulking up could increase his in-zone production.<\/p>\n The scout talked about the importance of training to enhance skating and prevent injury but found the emphasis on adding pounds less significant. He pointed to multiple examples of skill players who succeed at a similar size, adding, \u201cIt\u2019s the brain\u201d that will separate Perreault.<\/p>\n Sullivan seemed to acknowledge that as well, stressing that the second part of their plan is to accentuate Perreault\u2019s playmaking skills and sharpen the \u201cvelocity and release\u201d on his left-handed shot.<\/p>\n Perreault said he intends to work on all of the above this summer, but the most valuable component to his development is the experience he\u2019s gained at both the AHL and NHL levels this season.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s still definitely a learning (curve),\u201d he said. \u201cYou think the play is there, and it\u2019s not. I\u2019m still learning what does and what doesn\u2019t work, but I think I\u2019m making a lot of strides in that aspect.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-07-at-2.20.05\u202fPM.png\")
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