The headlines in Hartford on Friday, Oct. 25 involved the players returning to the team. Matt Rempe was recalled on Oct. 24 and veteran defenseman Chad Ruhwedel was sent down from the New York Rangers to the American Hockey League (AHL) on game day. The game between the Hartford Wolf Pack and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms highlighted the prospects on the roster.
Bo Grouix scored the game-winning goal in overtime for the Wolf Pack while Brett Berard had the primary assist on the goal. With Alex Belzille battling an injury and Brendan Othmann out long-term, Grouix and Berard have been the prospects carrying the offense and they did on Friday night, helping the Wolf Pack score four goals in the victory.
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The overtime-winning goal saw Berard earn his second point of the night as he got the scoring going early in the game. He found the puck on the rush to net his fifth goal in as many games. The Wolf Pack have a handful of prospects capable of making an impact at the NHL level yet none has looked more promising than Berard to start this season.
Berard’s Scoring Touch
Berard’s scoring is impressive but it isn’t a new thing. He scored 25 goals and 23 assists in 2023-24, his first full season in the AHL. His speed on the wing and quick release allow him to create scoring chances and find the back of the net, especially when he has space to operate.
This season, he’s taken things up a notch. Berard’s five goals have often come in space but he’s showing that he can add to the offense in multiple ways, notably when the game tightens up and slows down, a key attribute for any player looking to join the NHL roster. His growth as a player is putting him on track for a career-best season and one that will make it hard for the Rangers to ignore what he can provide.
Berard was drafted in the fifth round in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and oftentimes, he plays like a fifth-rounder. He has that edge to him and plays with a chip on his shoulder, looking to prove that he can always provide more to the Wolf Pack. It’s why this start, while great, might not be enough for the 22-year-old prospect.
What Makes Berard Special
Five goals and three assists in five games don’t say enough and the same can be said about his skills. It’s how Berard plays that makes him a talented forward. The Wolf Pack first-year head coach Grant Potulny noted “He’s got that energy and he loves the game” which is noticeable when he not only makes highlight plays but is willing to go the extra mile to help out the offense.
Despite being a smaller skater, Berard has a great net-front presence. He skates to the goal and the dirty areas to find scoring opportunities and he takes advantage of them. A lot of his goals will come on quick moves near the net or with the puck loose with only the goaltender there to stop him. Berard knows he’ll take a hit or be under a pile of skaters by the end of the scoring chance but his urge to make an impact outweighs that cost.
On top of that, Berard has a great shot that can make him a great scorer at the NHL level. He can take advantage of open looks from the wing and open up the offense. It’s how he scored the overtime winner over the Bridgeport Islanders on Saturday, Oct. 19 to give the Wolf Pack a 5-4 victory. On a one-timer, he buried the puck to the back of the net for his second goal of the game to secure a big win against the Connecticut rival.
Where Berard Needs to Improve
Berard without question is a great scorer. The question is how he plays in all facets of the game. His defense is inconsistent and he doesn’t step up on the penalty kill. That said, with time he’ll improve in both areas. “Like any young player, you continue to mature as you grow and he’s going to play those minutes,” Potulny noted after the win over Lehigh Valley. As the top-line skater, he will have more ice time and significant roles throughout the season and will only look better from here on out.
Berard needs the opportunities but also must improve his hockey sense when he’s put in those situations. He must lead the offense, but also the penalty kill and the power play, which are two areas of the game the Wolf Pack are looking to improve.
The power play went 0-for-3 in the Oct. 25 victory. The Wolf Pack had great puck movement but didn’t have a skater who could finish the scoring chances. All eyes were on Rempe as he played near the net but he couldn’t take advantage when the puck came his way. Considering how Berard has looked as a finisher, it’s a great role for him to play on the power play to help the unit improve. Sure, he’s usually a puck handler but when he doesn’t have possession, crashing the net will help take the unit up to the next level.
Berard’s Tough Path to the NHL
The first and most noticeable issue is his size. Berard is only 5-foot-9 and weighs 175 pounds. Jack Hughes and Artemi Panarin are in the same range and the league has allowed smaller skaters to thrive if they bring elite skill to the roster. However, Berard will get pushed around at the NHL level.
The other issue (and this is a Rangers-specific one), is that the wing position is stacked. Berard primarily plays the left wing, the same position as Panarin and Chris Kreider. He also plays the right wing but so does Alexis Lafreniere, who the Rangers extended for the next seven years. A middle-six right wing spot could open up for Berard but he must prove he can outplay Reilly Smith in the same role, a tall task for most prospects.
It’s a tough road for Berard to make it to the NHL. Most players of his size don’t make it and instead put together exceptional AHL careers. That said, if Berard keeps scoring and leading the Wolf Pack offense while also stepping up in all facets of the game, it will be hard to ignore what he can add to the Rangers and their already potent offense.