New York Rangers’ Peter Laviolette Justifies Shocking Gabe Perreault Decision Against Flyers

Things have gone from messy to downright mayhem in the New York Rangers’ country. Peter Laviolette’s New York squad started the season already running on fumes, and now? They’re barely crawling. After getting blanked by the Devils and then straight-up steamrolled 5-1 by the playoff-pumped Lightning on Monday at MSG, the Blueshirts are slipping into that dreaded no-man’s land—too far behind for hope, too close to the bottom to ignore. With just five games left and six points separating them from Montreal’s wild-card grip, the postseason dream is hanging by a sad single thread.

And yeah, that Lightning game? It felt like the hockey gods themselves were calling the game over. Fast forward to the Flyers matchup and things are still shaky at best. Philly’s holding a tight 5-4 lead and tensions are rising in every corner of the Garden. But what’s got fans scratching their heads even more? Gabe Perreault—yep, the same young gun everyone’s been hyped about—is nowhere to be found in the lineup. Naturally, all eyes turned to Coach Laviolette, who stood by the move with that usual poker face. And while he might have a master plan brewing behind the bench, the timing’s got folks feeling dicey.

Right before the puck was ready to drop, Peter Laviolette stepped up to face the press and—yep, you guessed it—he cut straight to the chase: “Just on the way out, looks like Perreault not playing tonight—curious about what went into that decision?” New York Rangers’ coach didn’t dodge it. “We’re going to put Brett back in the lineup,” he said, plain and clear. But then came the real talk, the kind only a seasoned bench boss like him can deliver. “Again, 12 forwards, you know, coming in—I think for a young player, especially straight out of college, you know there’s going to be times where you can teach him and show him and let him watch and learn and practice and play in some games as well.”

He kept it candid and totally coach-mode: “He’s had good impact in the game, where the impact can be more,” and “he’s been good, just a young player.” Then he wrapped it all up with the clearest reasoning of all: “He draws out tonight, Brett draws in.” Boom. No drama. Just vibes, development, and a little rotation magic. It’s all part of Laviolette’s big-picture blueprint—get the kid settled, sharpen the edges, and when the time’s right, unleash him again.

On one side of the rink for New York Rangers, we’ve got young gun Gabe Perreault—just 19, fresh off signing that shiny three-year deal with the Rangers like, what, ten days ago? Since then, he’s hit the ice in three games, averaging about 13 minutes per skate sesh. His stats? Minus one, four shots, and a team record of 1-2-0 when he’s out there. But don’t let that number fool you—this kid’s got that Boston College magic still buzzing in his veins. The Sherbrooke-born spark plug was an absolute playmaking wizard in college, hanging with NHL-bound besties like Will Smith and Ryan Leonard. He’s already got back-to-back World Junior Championship wins for Team USA on his resume—stacked much?

And right there on the flip side, we’ve got Brett Berard reppin’ the same Rangers sweater, drafted way back in the fifth round in 2020—134th overall. He’s been grinding ever since, no flashy headlines, just that quiet hustle. And don’t forget, he also snagged gold with Team USA at the 2021 World Juniors, so yeah, the dude’s been shining on big stages too. Both these boys? They’re writing their own chapters in the Blueshirts’ book. And guess what? The New York Rangers’ fans are already not happy with the coach and his decision and this might just add fuel to the fire.

New York Rangers’ coach makes a bold confession!

Just a few days back—right after the Rangers got smacked with that rough 5-1 loss—Spittin’ Chiclets hopped on X and dropped a lil gem straight from the postgame presser. They threw out the question we were all thinking: “Does Laviolette have a message for the team at this stage?” And Coach Pete? Man gave the driest answer of the night: “I don’t have a message right now. I don’t go into the locker room after the game.” Wait, huh? That’s it? No clipboard slam? No spicy pep talk? Of course, the fanbase was instantly split like a broken stick. Some were out here defending the chill approach—saying Coach Pete likes to give the guys a beat to decompress before rolling in with the wisdom and whiteboards.

One fan even posted, “Laviolette’s all about giving players space right after the game. He doesn’t rush in with speeches or emotions—just lets them process it first. Then he’ll come in later when it’s time to reset and focus. It’s a calm, controlled leadership style that’s earned respect.” Kinda poetic, not gonna lie. But on the other end? Ohhh, it was chaos. One fan came in hot like, “if this is true, fire him today. Don’t even wait until morning, fire him today.” And with how stormy things have been lately? Yeah, folks are feeling some type of way.

Because this isn’t just one off-night. Nah. The vibes have been off in Rangers Land. First that 4-0 shutout against the Devils with the full special teams combo—power play, shorthanded, empty netter—like a hockey hat trick of horror. And now Coach Laviolette is dodging locker room talks? Fans are getting major flashbacks to last season when Detroit hit full panic mode, kicked Lalonde to the curb, and dropped McLellan into the hot seat. That snowball started after he skipped locker room chats too. So now, with Laviolette doing the same dance? The whispers are turning into shouts, and some fans are already calling it: “Oh he’s gone gone after this season.” No sugar, no filter. Just raw hockey heartbreak.