NY Rangers, Gabe Perreault Reportedly Not Engaging in Extension Talks is Surprising

The New York Rangers have reportedly not engaged in extension talks with Gabe Perreault, which comes as a major surprise.

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers right wing Gabe Perreault (94) skates against the Washington Capitals during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers are getting set for the upcoming season, and hopes are high with a lot of new faces joining the team this summer. 

Coming off a terrible campaign last season, the Rangers will be focused on improving and getting back into playoff contention this coming season. While it is a challenging goal to go from last place in the conference to being a playoff team, New York might have the firepower to be able to pull that off. 

While the team will be expecting a lot from the new additions, they will also be hoping for the continued development of some of the young players on the roster. 

This is a team that has struggled in that area in recent years, but finally might be improving. 

Peter Baugh of The Athletic recently stated that as of now, there haven’t been any extension talks between Gabe Perreault and the Rangers, with the deadline for eight-year extensions coming to a close at midnight. 

No Discussions is Surprising

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 (@Peter_Baugh) September 15, 2026

With the deadline quickly approaching and a lot of other young players and teams getting eight-year extensions completed, it is a bit surprising to see that there have not been any extension talks between the two sides. 

Perreault was a major bright spot for the Rangers in the second half of the year and down the stretch. He certainly looked the part of a player who could be in the top six, and he had success on the first line with Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere. 

Last season, he totaled 27 points with 12 goals and 15 assists in 49 games. However, over the last two months of the year, he did a majority of that damage. In March and April, he totaled 19 points with nine goals and 10 assists in the final 23 games. 

There is certainly reason to be excited about the player that he is developing into, and he showed that he could be an important part of the team for years to come. 

For the Rangers, not engaging in contract extension talks is very surprising and could be a mistake if he has a great season. While Perreault might not have been interested in a hypothetical offer, New York should have at least tried. 

Overall, the Rangers will be hoping that he is able to have a great season in 2026-27. However, if he does, the cost is going to go up.