The New York Rangers had a nightmare 2025/26 season, and after landing Stanley Cup winning coach Mike Sullivan, that came amid a campaign that many believed would see them reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs once again.
As a result, the team traded another key piece of their once promising core in Artemi Panarin, and now, they’ve reloaded ahead of the 2026/27 season, with the team set to rely on several new faces such as Oliver Bjorkstrand and Pavel Dorofeyev in key positions. However, their biggest advantage could be a rising star, and now, Gabe Perreault has been named as a breakout candidate ahead of a crucial season.
Gabe Perreault Could Breakout in 2026/27
GettyGabe Perreault of the New York Rangers.
Last season, the Rangers had plenty of struggles and very few reasons to be genuinely excited, but it’s safe to say that there were several young names on the roster that flashed immense potential, with former No. 1 pick Alexis Lafreniere being second on the team in scoring.
However, it was then 20-year-old Gabe Perreault that perhaps got the fans most excited, as the former No. 23 pick put together a very solid rookie campaign, posting 12 goals and 27 points over 49 games played. As a result, Daily Faceoff have named the talented young winger as a ‘sophomore breakout candidate’ ahead of the coming season, and given the increased role he’s likely to get, fans should be buying Perreault stocks before the 2026/27 regular season begins.
The main reason for this is that he will likely play a key role on the Rangers top power play unit while getting top-line minutes alongside Zibanejad and Dorofeyev, and while he may never end up becoming a 100-point per season winger, the physical tools and the skill are there for him to become an All-Star caliber player, and that ascent should begin in 2026/27.
Can the Rangers Bounce Back Into a Playoff Spot?
While the Rangers believed they could win with a core of Chris Kreider, Panarin, Mika Zibanejad and Jacob Trouba, that never eventuated, and now, despite several Stanley Cup Playoffs runs together, just one of those players remains in New York, with the team going through a retool on the fly under General Manager Chris Drury.
However, despite their struggles, the additions to an already talented roster have this team primed to be a bounce back candidate in 2026/27, and if Perreault can become a genuine threat in their top-six along with Dorofeyev, Zibanejad and Lafreniere, they’ll be a Wild Card contender in a loaded Eastern Conference.
Ultimately, all of the potential has gone to waste in New York over the past few seasons after Eastern Conference Finals appearances for the team back in both 2022 and 2024, but now with one of the best goaltenders in the NHL alongside a good blend of youth and experience, there’s plenty of optimism once again for one of the leagues Original Six franchises,
Rangers Young Star Named as Breakout Candidate for 2026/27