Gabe Perreault got a taste of the NHL at the end of last season after signing a pro contract when his college career ended. Those five games he played, in which he averaged 14 minutes and 26 seconds of ice time, helped give him the confidence that he’ll be able to reach his goal of making the Rangers’ opening night lineup this fall.

“I’m gonna go with the mentality that I’m gonna make the team,” the 20-year-old Perreault, the team’s first-round draft pick in 2023, said at the Rangers’ prospect development camp this week. “I think coming into camp, that’s what everyone’s mentality should be. So I’m gonna do everything this summer: train hard, work on the little things I need to and come here to make the team.’’

Perreault’s words were music to the ears of general manager Chris Drury.

“I like that mindset,’’ Drury said. “I want players to have goals of coming in here and making the team.’’

Of course, having the mindset and doing the requisite work in the summer — Perreault is skating in Chicago with a group of NHL players that includes his favorite growing up, Patrick Kane — is all well and good. Actually making the team will require more than just a positive attitude. The competition will be fierce.

Perreault, the son of former NHLer Yanic Perreault, figures to battle for a spot with fellow youngsters Brennan Othmann, the 2021 first-round pick, and Brett Berard, a fifth-rounder in 2020. All of them finished the season on the Rangers’ roster.

Berard — fearless and feisty at 5-9, 175 — impressed enough with the Rangers’ Hartford farm team to earn a couple of call-ups in his second pro season. He had six goals and 10 points in 35 games with the Rangers.

The 6-foot, 192-pound Othmann, also a second-year pro, played well in his 22 NHL games, though he had only two assists to show for it.

Perreault, 5-11, 178, had no points in his five games (all of which were against playoff teams) but had 16 goals and 48 points in 37 games for a stacked Boston College team. He also earned a second straight gold medal at the World Junior Championships for Team USA, recording three goals and 10 points in seven games.

The top six forwards on the roster are Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck, Alexis Lafreniere and Will Cuylle. Last year’s fourth line of Sam Carrick between 6-7 Adam Edstrom and 6-9 Matt Rempe looks as if it will return.

If the versatile Jonny Brodzinski is the 13th forward, then Perreault, Othmann, Berard, center Juuso Parssinen and free-agent additions Taylor Raddysh and Justin Dowling appear to be competing for potentially three spots.

The 6-3, 200-pound Raddysh, 27, who signed a two-year, $3 million contract with the Rangers on Wednesday, can play either left or right wing. He had seven goals and 27 points for Washington last season and seems the most likely to claim one of those spots.

Whether new coach Mike Sullivan chooses to use Zibanejad as a center or a wing will alter the equation. If Zibanejad is a center, there will be three spots open on the wing; if he’s a wing, there will be one at center and two at wing.

The Rangers announced they signed depth defenseman Derrick Pouliot, 31, and depth forward Trey Fix-Wolansky, 26. Pouliot got a two-year deal and Fix-Wolansky one year. Both are two-way contracts that pay $775,000 at the NHL level, according to PuckPedia.