New York Rangers fans were thrilled with the production and level of play Gabe Perreault put on display during what was his first true season of NHL experience. However, it appears general manager Chris Drury and the Rangers as an organization will want to see more from the 21-year-old before handing him a contract extension. What that effectively means, though, is that an eight-year deal is all but off the table for the former first-round pick.
“Have seen folks wondering about Gabe Perreault (RFA next summer) amid the rush of eight-year extensions before the CBA changes go into effect at midnight. There haven’t been any extension negotiations up to this point, I’ve been told,” Peter Baugh of The Athletic reported. Vince Mercogliano added the same applies for pending RFAs, Noah Laba and Will Cuylle.
Even if Drury and the Rangers have a sudden change of heart, it would take an incredible, against-the-clock effort to get a deal done with Perreault before the deadline. That’s not even considering if Perreault would even accept such a contract extension.
NHL’s new CBA
Starting Sept. 16, there will be a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the league and the Players’ Association (NHLPA). Among the most notable changes, players re-signing with their current teams will no longer be allowed to sign max-term contracts of eight years.
Chris Drury of the New York Rangers.
The maximum will be set at seven seasons in the NHL. Thus, teams hoping to get eight-year deals done must hurry. Several already have. One example is the Rangers’ Metro Division rivals, the Washington Capitals.
Capitals hand eight-year deal to Leonard
That news hit close to home for Perreault, as his fellow former teammate with USA Hockey’s junior teams and at Boston College, Ryan Leonard, was one of the last young players in the NHL to get his hands on one of those soon-to-be-vintage eight-year contracts. Washington handed Leonard an eight-year, $84 million ($10.5 million AAV) contract after his 20-goal, 45-point season in 2025-26.
Through 54 career appearances in the NHL, Perreault has yet to break the 30-point mark. Thus, even though the two have often been compared, the Rangers’ young star can’t make Leonard’s money just yet. As a matter of fact, his small sample size in the league is a big reason why he hasn’t been re-signed yet and why contract talks haven’t even begun.
Perreault set for contract year in New York
New York wants to see what Perreault can do over a full, 82-game season, which he has yet to experience. The expectations are high for the American-Canadian forward, and the Blueshirts will want to see how he handles them before landing on his price tag.
For Perreault, it might be a good thing, too. If he puts together a good season, he can increase his value and come away with an even bigger contract than if he were to sign before the puck drops in September. Of course, as with every contract year in professional sports, there is a risk-taking aspect to it, but the Rangers may have little to lose beyond a few more million dollars.
With the salary cap steadily rising in the NHL, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And because Perreault is a pending RFA, there is little to no risk of losing him to free agency next summer. That is, if he even makes it that far into the year unsigned.
