Gilbert Perreault comparison?

[Hug Ben Laf]

Hello everyone, I was doing some research on old time hockey player. And a name that I would want to know better of is this guy:Gilbert Perreault

I know he is a slick skating center. But is there anything else?

But most important of all, which player in the 90s till now are comparable to Gilbert Perreault?

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[mcphee]

It's a hard comparison because with the systems teams play now,you don't see as much 1 on 1 play off the rush, maybe Fedorov or Modano but their chief asset was speed while Perreault's was his stickhandling. Beliveau is the obvious, but I guess that doesn't really help you. Lecvalier will get some mention, but I don't think so. I saw Perreault's last year in Jr. and I've not seen any better to this day.

 

[Ogopogo*]

Modano might be a player that most closely resembles Perreault but, as McPhee said, Perreault was a better stickhandler while Modano has more speed.

As far as scoring dominance, the 90s player that is closest to Perreault is Mark Recchi.

 

[Buffalo Stylee]

I think Sundin may be a decent comparison.

 

[Ogopogo*]

I think Sundin may be a decent comparison.

I agree with that.

 

[Lowetide]

Perreault was a unique player so comp's are very diffcult. He was an exceptional skater and puck handler and had all kinds of tricks (he was quite tall but carried the puck close to his skates which made checking him difficult. Lots of tripping penalties) and his rushes were breathtaking.

I'll say Paul Coffey.

 

[Buffalo Stylee]

If Perreault had been born a year or two earlier and played for Montreal, he'd be named among the top 20 players of all-time, not just the top 50. He'd be another icon in Montreal.

 

[Stephen]

wrong thread

 

[Malefic74]

He was a better passer than anyone mentioned so far. He had the wide skating style of Messier but the stickhandling of Kovalev. And he was fast, like Kariya in his prime fast.

I have not seen anyone in 10 years who has reminded me in the least of Perreault. Maybe Forsberg, but Peter was a little more rugged than Gilbert. But in terms of passing, skating, stickhandling and passign I'd say Forsberg is the closest comparison.

 

[SensItComing]

I'd like to say Ilya Kovalchuk but he was probably closer to Pierre Turgeon or Peter Bondra. He could score and skate but he was definitely a more all-around player than Kovalchuk.

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Perreault was a unique player so comp's are very diffcult. He was an exceptional skater and puck handler and had all kinds of tricks (he was quite tall but carried the puck close to his skates which made checking him difficult. Lots of tripping penalties) and his rushes were breathtaking.

I'll say Paul Coffey.

I think Coffey tended to beat more guys just using pure speed. Leetch was a much better stickhandler IMO, but while still fast, not in Coffey's league.

 

[habfan4]

I think an apt comparison is another former Sabre - Pat Lafontaine

 

[chooch*]

If Perreault had been born a year or two earlier and played for Montreal, he'd be named among the top 20 players of all-time, not just the top 50. He'd be another icon in Montreal.

I agree - he'd kill the Habs at their own game in the early seventies and Dryden had a very tough time against that line even moreso than the Espo line.

He doesnt compare to any players I've seen recently and I dont mean that as criticsm of recent players.

He was on the "million dollar line" in the 81 Canada Cup and even past his prime was superb.

 

[dunwoody_joe]

I grew up watching Gil Perreault and I have yet to see any player that I would compare to him.

He was a quiet, almost painfully shy fellow. On the ice, he would wind up at his own blueline and circle behind his net to take the puck from his defenseman. By the time he took the puck he was in full stride and never, ever did I see the first forechecker even slow him down. At about center ice, as the other team was backpeddling, his linemates (Rene Robert and Rick Martin) were just catching up. It was a sight for all Buffalo fans to see these three French Canadian guys flying into the zone 3 abreast. Gilbert would make a move or two on some helpless defenseman, pull the other defenseman over and dish off a pass to either winger for an easy goal. He was an assist machine. He could be looking in the stands and hit his linemates with crisp passes. He had a sense for where everyone was in real time unlike anyone not named Gretzky.

Or...he could score himself (but often passed up shots for his teammates). He loved to stickhandle his way through traffic and deke the goalie.

He was the Sabres' first draft choice, the face of the organization, captain and a beloved adopted son in Buffalo. People always adored him in Buffalo! Even to this day, if you ask any real Sabre fan who is the one personality they identify with the Sabres--it's Gilbert Perreault!

I could see a bit of Gretzky (passing instinct), Beleveau (smooth skating style), Lecavalier (understated scoring ability), Frank Mahovolich (panache), Guy LaFluer (speed), Makita (stickhandling)--all bundled up in an endearingly shy, quiet package.

I am certain that he would have been a Canadian icon if he played in Montreal. He may have been one of the top 5 Habs of all-time.

It is very well known in Buffalo what ultimately broke up the French Connection. (Besides Scotty Bowman)

http://images.art.com/images/products/large/10097000/10097105.jpg

 

[Macman]

I am certain that he would have been a Canadian icon if he played in Montreal. He may have been one of the top 5 Habs of all-time.
http://images.art.com/images/products/large/10097000/10097105.jpg

I agree. He's one of the most underrated players or all time and he'd be an absolute god if he had played in Montreal.

He could handle the puck like Kent Nilsson and skate like Lafleur. Not a bad combo.

 

[chooch*]

It is very well known in Buffalo what ultimately broke up the French Connection.

what?

 

[dunwoody_joe]

what?

An affair between somebody's wife and his left winger.

Rumor in Buffalo was that Perreault demaded someone leave town and Scotty moved Martin.

 

[dunwoody_joe]

In retrospect, maybe Perreault should have traded the wife!

 

[Fan-of-#9]

I'm suprised nobody mentioned Lemieux. Yes Mario is a level above Perrault, but would it not be a fair comparison?

 

[doc5hole]

I grew up watching Gil Perreault and I have yet to see any player that I would compare to him.

He was a quiet, almost painfully shy fellow. On the ice, he would wind up at his own blueline and circle behind his net to take the puck from his defenseman. By the time he took the puck he was in full stride and never, ever did I see the first forechecker even slow him down. At about center ice, as the other team was backpeddling, his linemates (Rene Robert and Rick Martin) were just catching up. It was a sight for all Buffalo fans to see these three French Canadian guys flying into the zone 3 abreast. Gilbert would make a move or two on some helpless defenseman, pull the other defenseman over and dish off a pass to either winger for an easy goal. He was an assist machine. He could be looking in the stands and hit his linemates with crisp passes. He had a sense for where everyone was in real time unlike anyone not named Gretzky.

Or...he could score himself (but often passed up shots for his teammates). He loved to stickhandle his way through traffic and deke the goalie.

He was the Sabres' first draft choice, the face of the organization, captain and a beloved adopted son in Buffalo. People always adored him in Buffalo! Even to this day, if you ask any real Sabre fan who is the one personality they identify with the Sabres--it's Gilbert Perreault!

I could see a bit of Gretzky (passing instinct), Beleveau (smooth skating style), Lecavalier (understated scoring ability), Frank Mahovolich (panache), Guy LaFluer (speed), Makita (stickhandling)--all bundled up in an endearingly shy, quiet package.

I am certain that he would have been a Canadian icon if he played in Montreal. He may have been one of the top 5 Habs of all-time.

It is very well known in Buffalo what ultimately broke up the French Connection. (Besides Scotty Bowman)

http://images.art.com/images/products/large/10097000/10097105.jpg

Absolutely thrilled to see this thread. I grew up a Bruins fan, and Perreault is the second most electric player I've ever seen after Orr. I didn't see Perreault live before he broke his leg, but he could still motor through the mid-70's. IMO, by 1977-78, his game had taken on a more conservative, two-way dimension.

BUT, the rink-length rush you describe ... I got a perfect endzone view of the whole thing, end to end, in the first period of the Dec. 20, 1975, game in Boston. Perreault circled hard in his own end, did give-and-go with left D (probably Korab or Hajt), got it back in full flight at center. The Bruins D standing up at the line had no chance -- I want to say Gary Doak and Dallas Smith -- they couldn't close fast enough, and then he dit-dat-dit on Gilbert, who flops on his bum, the puck trickling through so everyone is screaming in agony as it spins across the line. And, by then, Perreault is circling wide and facing back up ice with his arms raised like Pavarotti.

Two other memories remain etched:
1. An out-of-town TV highlight during 1976-77, Perreault headfakes the Toronto goalie (Parmeteer?) and slowly pulls the puck around him forehand to the left post, gently steering it into the net. Then turns back to the delirious Aud on the near side of the post, arms raised.

2. April 1, 1975 (I had a great seat for this one): Perreault down RW in front of the Bruins bench, 1 on 1 with Orr. Orr says something, Perreault says something back and blasts it past Gilbert. The puck bounces out of the net, coming to rest in the slot. The two most exciting players of my hockey lifetime are swooping across and Orr, a look of disgust on his face, flips the puck into the air with his backhand and backswings it blind behind him out of the air and back into the net. Perreault, oblivious to that, is met by his teammates. It's in that moment that I decided that hockey will never be as good.

Lafleur is better known for his speed and finesse, but he never wowed me like Perreault did. Dionne also belongs in this conversation, and he is incidentally my starting point for Crosby comparisons.
Since Perreault, some players have reminded me of him, but comparisons are tough given the state of the game. Early Modano is the best I've heard, mainly because he explodes out of his crossover and stickhandles during acceleration. A lot of big skaters jump straight and glide corners, where they make moves. Perreault was fun to watch, being so powerful and ambitious out of the turn.
Mikhailov could control the puck similarly, and Kharlamov could explode up the ice, but they were two players.
Lacavalier makes comparable stickhandling moves (I'm thinking Game 2 vs. Calgary, off right point and out of LW corner), but he doesn't execute them in full flight as did Perreault.
When Ron Flockhart first came up with Philly, you got the feeling he trying to do an impression of Perreault -- that was fun in itself -- but I bet it annoyed a lot of players (and teammates) who felt they could have done it as well, but knew it wasn't a viable contribution because he wasn't ... Perreault.
Kovolchuk is also a different kind of talent, being more the radar shooter, but his ability to ramp it up off the rush and throw the defense into panic is about the best since Perreault.

I also like the timeliness of this thread, considering GP epitomizes the effect the NHL hopes to create with all the new rules. Another story.

 

[Lard_Lad]

An affair between somebody's wife and his left winger.

Rumor in Buffalo was that Perreault demaded someone leave town and Scotty moved Martin.

Ah, the good old "player X was traded because he slept with player Y's wife" rumor. I'm pretty sure there's a version of it for every team in the league; some have more than one.

 

[Crosbyfan]

I'm suprised nobody mentioned Lemieux. Yes Mario is a level above Perrault, but would it not be a fair comparison?

Beliveau and Lemieux both come to mind.

 

[doc5hole]

Ah, the good old "player X was traded because he slept with player Y's wife" rumor. I'm pretty sure there's a version of it for every team in the league; some have more than one.

An NHL scout who's a former coach told me he's seen a lot of wives trade players.

 

[SensItComing]

Ah, the good old "player X was traded because he slept with player Y's wife" rumor. I'm pretty sure there's a version of it for every team in the league; some have more than one.

I've heard talk that that is how Lindros got his first concussion.

 

[Daryl Shilling]

Among guys that played the majority of their careers in the 1990s, the ten most statistically similar players to Gilbert Perreault:

1. Dale Hawerchuk
2. Mark Recchi
3. Theoren Fleury
4. Doug Gilmour
5. Jeremy Roenick
6. Pierre Turgeon
7. Luc Robitaille
8. Mike Modano
9. Alexander Mogilny
10. Mats Sundin


For what it's worth, the five most similar ever:

1. Denis Savard
2. Dale Hawerchuk
3. Jean Ratelle
4. Jari Kurri
5. Rod Gilbert

None of this implies which players are better or worse, nor does it make any statements about talent or personality. It only which ones have the most similar era-adjusted statistics.

Daryl