Rangers Call Up Brett Berard As Team Looks To Give Young Players More Opportunity

The New York Rangers recalled Brett Berard from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League on Thursday.

This call-up comes less than 24 hours after Artemi Panarin was held out of the lineup due to roster management, as the Rangers look to trade the veteran forward and continue through this retooling process. 

In November and into December, Berard played in 11 games for the Rangers. While he showed some impressive flashes, particularly when playing on a line alongside Noah Laba and Will Cuylle, it didn’t translate into any points, and he was ultimately sent back down to the AHL.

“The first few games, I thought I was good, but the last couple I thought maybe it dipped for whatever reason,” Berard said. “I wasn't getting as many pucks on net. So yeah, I think it was good to go back down to Hartford and get my confidence back. I think this time around, I'm really ready.”

Mike Sullivan didn’t confirm whether or not Berard would slot into the lineup for the Rangers’ Thursday night matchup against the New York Islanders.

“He’s a real good energy guy, he’s great in the puck pursuit game, he can really skate, he’s got a little bit of physicality to him,” Sullivan said of Berard. “He brings a lot of juice, energy, enthusiasm. That’s the type of player that he is. He’s got a real good motor, and I think he’s a disruptive player, good on the forecheck. He makes it hard on the D on the breakouts. He can disrupt plays, create turnovers, and he’s quick, he can skate.”

With the Rangers sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and the organization looking toward the future, it presents an opportunity for younger players to step into prominent roles and prove their worth.

Gabe Perreault, Noah Laba, Brennan Othmann, and Scott Morrow have all carved out roles with the Blueshirts, and now Berard will get his chance to do the same.

“We’ve got a lot of young guys that are getting opportunities in the lineup, that have an opportunity to grow, develop, get better, show what they can do, things of that nature,” Sullivan said. “That is our challenge, and that’s the opportunity we have in front of us.”