Gabe Perreault was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, over 90 minutes east of Montreal, but he grew up in Hinsdale, Ill., as the youngest of four children. His father is the Quebec-born Yanic Perreault, a 14-year NHL veteran who retired with the highest-ever-recorded faceoff win percentage in league history (62.86 percent).
But Perreault has left no doubt over where his allegiance lies.
“The States,” Perreault said. “When I was younger and when I moved to the United States, it was always the United States.”
The 19-year-old New York Rangers prospect has two goals and four points in three games for USA at this year’s World Juniors. He’s relishing the opportunity to play against his birth country, which in this tournament doubles as enemy territory.
“It’s surely going to be a lot of red,” Perreault said. “It’s going to be a good game. The atmosphere is going to be very good. It’ll be very fun and it’ll be close.
“Whenever you play against Canada, they always have really good teams. So, we’ll be ready. And they just lost to Latvia, so for sure they’re going to be ready for us.”
GO FURTHER
World Juniors Today: Quarterfinals berths on the line, Canada-USA prepare for NYE matchup
