Brett Berard is back in the fold for the New York Rangers after getting called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack on Sunday.
With the Rangers’ offense hindered by J.T. Miller’s injury and possibly now even Vincent Trocheck’s iffy status, Berard could play a pivotal role in the team’s Monday night game against the St. Louis Blues.
It’s funny how things work sometimes, as it was just one week ago that Berard emphasized he’s not focused on getting called up to the NHL.
“Not focus on getting called up or not focused on what might happen,” Berard said last week in Hartford. “I'm here in Hartford, and I'm here to help the team win, and I love the guys in the room. I love the coaches, so it's been a blast coming to the rink every day.”
Now, Berard is back in the NHL with an opportunity to make an immediate impact for the Rangers.
“I think being up here in the NHL is every kid's dream, and it feels like the first day I got called up last year too,” Berard said. “It's the same, same emotion, same excitement, happiness. Just going out there playing a free mind, playing my game. I think when I'm playing my game and fast is when I'm most free and not thinking. So just gonna try to do that, probably try to provide a spark for the guys and play physical. I'm super happy.”
Berard showed flashes of his potential during his 35 games spent in the NHL last year. However, the 23-year-old forward was sent down to the AHL toward the end of training camp, leading him down a downward spiral.
He admitted that not making the Rangers’ opening-night roster hurt his confidence, and insinuated it impacted his level of play to open up the 2025-26 campaign with Wolf Pack where he went without a goal for the first 14 games of the season.
“I kind of lost a little confidence there,” Berard confessed. “The first few games, it was hard to kind of get my game back. But I think it was also good and challenged my mental toughness, too, to kind of go through a little funk like that at the start of the year. So I think it was good, and especially the last two weeks, I've felt really confident in my game.”
The Rangers have lost four consecutive games, and Mike Sullivan has directed the blame at an overall lack of juice and energy.
That’s exactly what Berard provides. The 5-foot-9 winger plays a fast, yet physical brand of hockey.
Berard’s presence could be the exact sort of spark the Rangers need right now as they look to overcome this recent skid.
Rangers Recall Brett Berard And Dylan Garand Amid A Slew Of Injuries The New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> have recalled Brett Berard and Dylan Garand from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.
“The role that he'll play is an energy guy that can be disruptive, get in on the forecheck, help with our team speed,” Sullivan said of Berard. “But along with that, it becomes just the importance of playing a team game and attention to detail away from the puck, in particular.
“Those types of guys, when you put them on the ice, you want to trust that they're reliable and dependable, and they know what their job is and they execute their job. A lot of that boils down to details. That's the message to those types of players. Berard is one of those guys. He can really skate. He brings a ton of energy. He brings a little physicality to our team, so I'm sure he'll give us a spark.”
Berard practiced on a line alongside Noah Laba and Conor Sheary during Monday’s practice. He’s expected to make his season debut on Monday night against the St. Louis Blues.