Gabe Perreault Named Player of The Game In Team USA's World Junior Championship Opening Victory

Rangers draft pick Gabe Perreault is representing the United States at the 2025 World Junior Championship in Ottawa, Canada and is off to a hot start with the team. In a time when New York Rangers fans seemingly have very little to be hopeful for, Perreault is providing a small glimmer in red, white, and blue.

In their group stage opener, Team USA trounced Germany 10-4 in a strong showing that bodes well for the States' chances at a back-to-back gold medal later in the tournament. A big part of the early success for the United States is owed to the 19-year-old Perreault, who registered two goals and one assist in the game, finishing as a plus-four and earning the title of "Player of the Game" for the U.S..

Perreault featured on a line with his teammates from Boston College: Ryan Leonard and James Hagens. The three combined for nine points in the tournament opener, shining especially when it came to power play opportunities for the US.

Perreault's first goal of the game came halfway through the first period, when the forward caught a pass in the slot and fired a shot into the right side of the net, giving the U.S. a 2-0 lead. Social media came to life following Perreault's performance, remarking heavily on the fact that Perreault seems entirely too skilled to have fallen to 23rd overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

The stats of Perreault's game reveal exactly why Rangers fans should be excited about the young forward one day joining the Blueshirts' core. In 19 minutes and 12 seconds of ice time, Perreault tallied his two goals and one assist, but also managed seven shots on goal and helped to quarterback a lethal U.S. power play unit.

Having a player capable of handling such high leverage and high importance minutes is imperative to the success of any collegiate, world junior, or NHL team, and Perreault is demonstrating his ability to take control of, and impose his will on, any game he's involved in.