The lights are binding. All shining and reflecting, at the Madison Square Garden; a young man emerges, skates right onto the ice, with eyes gleaming with determination. At just 19 years old, Gabe Perreault is all set to make his startling NHL debut by joining the New York Rangers. A moment that the young teenage boy dreamt so far in his life, has finally earned it! Reaching to the pinnacle at this young age, makes him the star! He is the latest sensation for the team, all ready and electrified to own the very moment with an otherworldly instinct for the game in his heart. A moment that he dreamt, has now become a reality to him.

But who is Perreault beyond the jersey and those bright lights? Where does his hockey brilliance come from? The answer lies in his lineage, his bloodline. Hailing from Hinsdale, Illinois, the 19 year old holds the hockey tradition right in his blood. So makes sense, that way, right? Living and breathing within the hooks of the sticks and goals, Gabe always had it him as he was surrounded by the very grips of Hockey. The NYR star holds a name to his name that had showcased a legacy in NHL that of his own.

Gabe Perreault is not just another ‘prospect’ he is a Perreault! Born into the dynasty that is synonymous to Hockey. Gabe is shaped by a father, who was once a one-man force himself in the NHL. Gabe is the son of the veteran, Yanic Perreault. It could be that Gabe’s earned it more solid than his father, but Gabe’s performance is an on-hand proof that where he got the skills from, and it is from his father Yanic. Yanic served a fair share of respectable showcase in his NHL career, and therefore sets a bar for his son.

Who is Gabe Perreault’s father Yanic Perreault?

Gabe’s rise has been meteoric. He had 35 goals and 108 points in 73 career college games. Before Boston College, he set a U.S. National Team Development Program record with 132 points in just one season. Phenomenal right? And to understand the spark that Gabe carries, we need to look at his father Yanic. Undoubtedly Yanic could stand as a static inspiration to his son, and it’s not a maybe here! It is so.

Yanic Perreault never resembled what we at times go gaga over; Flashy! He was never the flashiest player on the ice. Neither he carried this high-scoring, top-notch superstar appeal like his contemporaries. Yanic started off his career in Toronto, when he got drafted by The Maple Leafs, back in 1991. He played 13 games in Toronto and later moved to Los Angeles.

He was mostly subtle with his play. If you are an old-school Hockey guy, you would probably remember him—steady, reliable, and an absolute wizard in the faceoff circle. Yanic played a solid 14 seasons in the NHL, prepping up for teams like the Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators, Phoenix Coyotes, and Chicago Blackhawks. In the City Of Angels, he played 288 in five years span, where he scored 76 goals and 80 assists for 156 points, as Blue Line Station notes. Over 859 games, he racked up 516 points, with 247 goals and 269 assists, proving himself as a key player in an era where defense reigned the top.

So, what goes special about Yanic Perreault? What did set him apart from the rest? He wasn’t just another forward; he was a faceoff genius. It was a superpower that he had and which set him apart from the rest. He holds the NHL record for the highest career face-off winning percentage at 62.86% while he played for 4 teams since the 2005-2006 season, and it was when NHL officially began to track the statistics for face-offs. The veteran bagged 1359 out of 2162 face-offs, as Guiness Records show.

And now? It’s Gabe Perreault’s time. He knows the pressure, nothing very new to the kid, as he has learnt it from his own father. He now steps into the franchise with higher expectations. And with Yanic Perreault guiding him as his mentor, we can now only think of how far Gabe can take his flight up!