SUNRISE, Fla. — Rangers coach Peter Laviolette took a fair amount of criticism last week when he chose to leave 19-year-old forward Gabe Perreault out of his lineup for what was  a meaningful game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Perreault, the team’s first-round pick in 2023, had played three games after signing with the Rangers following the conclusion of his sophomore season with Boston College. With only eight games left in the regular season and the Rangers fighting to get into the playoffs, it was assumed Perreault would play in all of them.

But Laviolette decided to scratch Perreault for the game against the Flyers and go with 22-year-old rookie Brett Berard. Berard played the next night as well against the Islanders and scored two goals.

“I thought Berard played a really good game [against the Flyers], and so we decided to come back with him,’’ Laviolette explained. “And then he played another great game.’’

Laviolette scratched 2021 first-rounder Brennan Othmann, 22, against the Islanders and inserted Juuso Parssinen, 24, as the third-line center after deciding to move Jonny Brodzinski up from fourth-line center to first-line right wing with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. Parssinen had a goal and two assists that game, Berard had his two goals, and the Rangers beat the Islanders, 9-2, prompting Laviolette to stay with the same lineup for Saturday’s game in Carolina.

But with Saturday’s loss having eliminated the Rangers from playoff contention, there is nothing on the line when they face Florida Monday night in their second-to-last game of the season. So there is no reason not to play all the young guys — Berard, Perreault and Othmann —  in the final two games.

The Rangers need as much information as they can get on Berard, Othmann and Perreault to figure out how they can fit into the team’s plans for next season. Othmann and Perreault are first-round picks, but Berard, a 5-9, 175-pounder with speed and a willingness to shoot often, has accomplished the most of the trio so far in the NHL. A fifth-round draft pick in 2020, he was called up from AHL Hartford in late November, sent back in early January, recalled in March, and entered Monday with six goals and four assists in 35 games.

In a conversation with Newsday last week, Berard mentioned working hard to improve his defense when he got sent back to Hartford in January. He had three goals and four assists in 19 games with the Rangers at that point, but he wasn’t proud of his minus-9 rating. He believes he’s gotten better at the defensive end since he got back, though. He had three goals and was plus-3 in 16 games since returning.

“The plus/minus, I wasn't great, and wasn’t where I wanted to be, and it was something that I kind of take pride in too,’’ he said. “Sometimes guys that score really aren't your guy [that you’re defending], but I mean, it all adds up. So [help defense was] something that was eye- opening to me, and that I personally wanted to work on to get better at. And good teams that you play here in the league, they're all good at defense. So . . . the offense will come.’’

Othmann, a 6-foot, 192-pounder, battled injuries in Hartford before getting called up in late February. He had no goals and two assists in 20 games but had produced 19 shots on goal and a plus/minus rating of plus-8. He had some hard luck with goalies making great saves on him, but he played well when he was with Panarin and Trocheck. The Rangers outscored opponents 6-0 when they were together, outshot them 36-19, and produced 15 high-danger chances versus allowing only two against.

Perreault, 5-11 and 178 pounds, had no points in his three games, but he had four shots on goal in seven attempts and was noticeable throughout.

All three are natural left wings, the same position as Panarin and Chris Kreider. All indications are GM Chris Drury will try to move Kreider in the offseason, which would open up one spot at left wing, but one or more of the three may need to switch to the right side if all are to be on the team next year.