Sam Cosentino on the player: The most obvious part of this player is his last name, familiar because his dad, Yanic, played over 850 NHL games and his older brother Jacob went 27th overall to Anaheim in the 2020 NHL draft. Aside from the NHL bloodlines, Gabe is perfectly capable of making his own path to the show. It’s tough to sleep on 53 goals, 79 assists and 132 points, which he posted this season to set USNTDP records.
The previous owners of both those records aren't players to sneeze at. Auston Matthews’ 114-point season in 2014-15 stood for eight years and Jack Hughes’ 78 assist record was set in 2018-19.
At 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, there are some concerns about his size. Having said that, he addressed some of those concerns by adding over 20 pounds of lean muscle mass before the start of the season. Perreault possesses world class awareness. He avoids solid contact and thinks the game at such a high level that his linemates have to be aware at all times. His playmaking ability, creativity and risk management are elite and project to the next level.
Jason Bukala's scouting report: Elite offensive forward with fantastic puck touch. Slips off checks in tight quarters. Deceptive and creative. Especially dangerous on the PP.
Skating has room for more power, but his mechanics are sound. Three zone detail has ranged, but his year-end effort and detail (at U18 Worlds) was the best it has been all season.
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