Perreault is a clear example of the identity that the New York Rangers are now pursuing, trying to move away from an exclusive reliance on veteran players.
Why the New York Rangers Had to Abandon Their Veteran-Centric Approach
The Rangers are not only “trying” to play with youth, they are forcing an identity change amid a playoff push. Chris Drury, president and GM of the team, no longer seems to believe that the current core of the Rangers, consisting of Chris Kreider, Mika Zibanejad, and J.T Miller, are the best for the institution. Although the timing does not seem the most appropriate, the NYR board sees this injection of youth not as an alternative, but as the only way out in the short and long term.
Let’s look at why the New York Rangers reached a breaking point. They have reached two Conference Finals, in 2022 and 2024, with a style of play based mostly on skill, but received a reality check from more physical teams, such as Florida. In this sense, it is clear that the team needs more hard work, physicality, and to combine it with going to the front of the net.
The Youth Movement in Action
The New York Rangers are clearly banking on their young players. This explains the call-ups of Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom, 6’9“ and 6’7”, respectively. Also, Brennan Othmann and Will Cuylle, who combine physical power with scoring ability. Finally, the most recent example, Gabe Perreault, a player with skill and a “direct” mentality.
Clearly, it’s a risky approach, considering the team arguably needs playoff experience. But, either way, Drury is betting on his youth. What is also clear, is that Gabe Perreault is not a signing just to sweeten the ears of the fans. He played 13:38 minutes against Minnesota in his debut, recording three shots on target. Plus, he was put on the power play and on the final minutes of the third period. What does this prove? Head coach Peter Laviolette already sees him as an important piece and trusts him. In the cases of Othmann and Brett Berard, we are also talking about players with a very interesting profile for the playoffs, guys that are physical and who go to the net.
The Risks of This New Approach
And what about the veterans? Kreider and Zibanejad are clearly no longer untouchable. The latter’s production has dropped, with only two points in eight games. It seems that Drury sees them as an important part of the Rangers past, but not necessarily the future. However, they can be important to the consolidation and growth of the youngsters. The timing is risky, which begs the question why the New York Rangers would gamble their playoff hopes on rookies with just seven games left.
Now, if it works, the Rangers would enter the playoffs with fresh energy and a higher state of mind, considering that this crop of youngsters would have already proven that they can compete and, despite the little experience, they would go in with a strong and necessary mentality. Demolishing and rebuilding on the fly is a rather questionable move on Drury’s part. But considering the historical context of the Rangers, it is a necessary one.
