Yanic Perreault
A hockey player whose uncanny ability to win face-offs made him the most reliable puck-possession specialist of his era.
Born 1971 (age 55)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: April 4·Generation X
Biography
Yanic Perreault carved out a long NHL career not with flashy speed or a heavy shot, but with a singular, almost scientific mastery of the face-off circle. Born in Sherbrooke, Quebec, his path to the league was unconventional, going undrafted before signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1991. Over 859 games with seven different teams, Perreault was the player coaches sent over the boards when securing possession was non-negotiable. His technique—a blend of quick hands, intense study of opponents' tendencies, and sheer strength—became the gold standard. While he scored over 200 goals, often as a dependable secondary scorer, his legacy is defined by a statistic: his career face-off win percentage, which stands as the highest in NHL history. He turned a routine part of the game into an art form, fundamentally changing how teams valued specialists.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Yanic was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Yanic Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Yanic's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Holds the NHL career record for highest face-off winning percentage at 62.86%.
- Played 859 games over 14 seasons in the NHL for seven different franchises.
- Scored 247 goals and 269 assists for a total of 516 career points.
- Represented Canada internationally, winning a silver medal at the 1996 World Championships.
Did You Know?
He was never selected in an NHL Entry Draft, entering the league as an undrafted free agent.
Perreault's son, Luka, was selected in the first round of the 2023 NHL Draft by the Winnipeg Jets.
He once scored four goals in a single game for the Los Angeles Kings in 1999.
His jersey number 94 was unusual for his era and was rarely worn by other players.
“I built my career on winning face-offs, one puck drop at a time.”
