Perreault's record-setting NTDP season impresses ahead of 2023 NHL Draft

The 2023 Upper Deck NHL Draft will be held June 28-29 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. The first round will be June 28 (7 p.m. ET; ESPN, SN, TVAS) and rounds 2-7 are June 29 (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS). NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects, podcasts and other features. Today, a look at Gabe Perreault of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

To gauge Gabriel Perreault's NHL potential, start with one eye-popping number: 132 points.

The forward, No. 10 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters presented by BioSteel, had 53 goals and 79 assists in 63 games for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team this season.

His point total set the program's single-season record, and to put it in perspective, consider this:

It edged him over linemate Will Smith, No. 3 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters, who had 127 points (51 goals, 76 assists) in 60 games.

It put him ahead of center Auston Matthews, selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs with the No. 1 pick of the 2016 NHL Draft, with 117 points (55 goals, 62 assists) in 60 games in 2014-15.

It vaulted him over Jack Hughes, taken by the New Jersey Devils with the No. 1 pick of the 2019 NHL Draft, with 116 points (40 goals, 76 assists) in 60 games in 2017-18 and 112 points (34 goals, 78 assists) in 50 games in 2018-19.

Perreault had 18 points (five goals, 13 assists) in seven games when the United States won the gold medal at the 2023 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in Switzerland in April, two points behind Smith, who led the team with 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists).

"His hockey sense is crazy," said Dan Muse, coach of the NTDP Under-18 team, laughing. "It's nuts. His sense of the game, his feel for the game, his understanding of time and space, the anticipation that he has, like, he sees plays develop that very few other players can.

"You combine that with the stick skills that he has, the mobility, all those different things, it makes for such a dangerous offensive player."

Perreault comes from a hockey family.

His father, Yanic, played center in the NHL from 1993-2008, finishing with 516 points (247 goals, 269 assists) in 859 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, Phoenix Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks.

His brother, Jacob, selected by the Anaheim Ducks with the No. 27 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, has played the past three seasons as a forward with San Diego of the American Hockey League, and played one game with the Ducks in 2021-22.

"Yeah, I think there's a lot of advantages for sure," Perreault said. "Growing up, my dad was my coach for a while. I think having him there behind the bench, teaching us the little things, has definitely helped. And then obviously my brother has been there too. Me and my brother, my dad has helped us a ton. He's pretty much taught us everything we know."

Perreault said he has always looked up to Ducks forward Trevor Zegras, though has hasn't pulled off a "Michigan" successfully in a game like Zegras has, and he's tried to take parts of New York Rangers forward Patrick Kane's game. Kane, who was selected by the Blackhawks with the No. 1 pick of in the 2007 NHL Draft, had 102 points (52 goals, 50 assists) in 58 games for the NTDP in 2005-06.

Size and strength were issues for Perreault when he arrived at the NTDP. Muse can't remember exactly, but he said Perreault was about 135 or 140 pounds.

Perreault had 50 points (18 goals, 32 assists) in 51 games for the Under-17 team last season, plus three assists in seven games for the Under-18 team.

Then he focused on skill work, weight training and nutrition.

"I think over the summer, I've been trying to work on my shot a lot," Perreault said. "I try to get in the gym more than on the ice just to get stronger. That definitely helped with my speed and just my strength in general."

Perreault is now 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, and plays each end of the ice.

"I think I'm a creative and competitive offensive-minded player," Perreault said. "I really like setting up my teammates, and I also think I'm reliable in the [defensive] zone."

Muse said Perreault created a lot of offense this season by making good reads in the defensive zone, stripping pucks, pouncing on turnovers and transitioning up the ice. Muse also emphasized how the 18-year-old had to compete often against older players when the NTDP played college teams.

"It's a huge credit to him," Muse said. "He put in the work. He was dedicated from Day One to take full advantage of the resources that were here, and because of that, he set himself up to have the type of year that he just did. He just kept getting better and kept doing it against harder competition."

Photos courtesy: Rena Laverty, NTDP

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