In less than a week in March, Brett Berard closed the curtain on his college career, signed an NHL contract and hit the ice for his first AHL game with the Hartford Wolf Pack.
“It was a crazy couple of days,” Berard said on Tuesday after Day 3 of Rangers development camp in Tarrytown.
“I’ve always dreamed of an NHL contract and having it right there in front of me, it’s hard to turn down and, like I said, I thought I was ready for the next challenge in my hockey career.”
Berard, 20, inked a three-year, entry-level contract with the Rangers on March 21.
It will begin with the coming season.
He then joined Hartford on an amateur tryout contract for the remainder of the season as the Wolf Pack chased the Calder Cup.
The Rangers’ 2020 fifth-round draft pick spent three seasons at Providence College, becoming a key piece to the Friars’ offense.
In Berard’s junior campaign, the USA Hockey National Team Development Program product tallied 10 goals and 14 assists through 36 games, skating on the left wing of Providence’s first line.
While the forward said he didn’t have a specific timeline in mind for making the jump from college to the pros, Berard said three years under Friars’ head coach Nate Leaman have prepared him well for this next step.
“I feel like my maturity and my strength. I think those two things are something that I think improved a lot,” Berard said. “Having three years there, I think it really helped my development.
“The pace of college hockey and how big guys are is something I learned from and was able to take to pro hockey.”
Berard also was able to catch some ice time with his younger brother, Brady, who was a freshman at Providence this past season before going pro.
Fellow Rangers prospect Jaroslav Chmelar was also in his first year with the Friars, and earned some top-six minutes with Berard after being drafted in the fifth round by the Blueshirts in 2021.
Berard’s introduction to the AHL was limited — he played three games for the Wolf Pack — but the East Greenwich, R.I. native said he learned a lot nonetheless, and will likely be a staple in Hartford next season.
“Just being there, everyone’s good, everyone’s bigger, older, faster, stronger,” Berard said. “The biggest thing is everyone’s just got good sticks. It’s a lot less time and space so you just have to have your head up and already be looking for the next play.”
Entering his second development camp with the Rangers with a taste of the AHL, Berard said he’s trying to be a leader for the younger guys in the room.
“Something that I try to bring is my character,” Berard said. “As long as you’re a good person in the locker room, I think it will translate on the ice, that’s something I’ve learned and taken into my game off the ice.”
Berard stood out on Day 3, leaning into his gritty and feisty edge and showing off his sneaky speed.
While Berard is on the smaller end — 5-foot-9 and 165 pounds — he’s strong on the puck, not afraid to get in the corners and is tenacious in battles on the boards. The winger is a bit pesky, and did a good job forcing his way to the inside and getting to the net during Tuesday’s drills.
Looking forward to the rest of the summer, Berard is focussed on bulking up.
“I’m trying to get bigger and stronger in the gym,” Berard said. “That’s something that I’ve been really taking pride in, getting bigger and stronger and putting on some weight.”
In terms of reaching his ultimate goal, taking a spin around Madison Square Garden in the red, white and blue, Berard said he’s staying centered in the moment.
“Just set short-term goals for myself,” Berard said. “Nothing’s going to happen tomorrow, so just trying to take every week, week-by-week and see what happens. Hope for the best.”
