Latest news with #BrettBerard
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
How healthy Brett Berard could crack Rangers opening-night lineup
Since he was selected in the fifth round of a very successful 2020 NHL Draft by the New York Rangers, Brett Berard has exceeded expectations time and again. Now healthy after he played through a significant shoulder injury last season, Berard is a legit threat to make a run in training camp at a spot on the Rangers' opening-night roster. 'Yeah, summer's been good. Tore my labrum in the season, so just been rehabbing that,' Berard said in his intro at the Shoulder Check Showcase charity event last week in Stamford, CT. That was a bit of a bombshell. It was known that the young forward, who turns 23 in September, was banged up at the end of the 2024-25 season — but not to that extent. Berard added that he didn't need surgery, but the injury did force him out of a commitment — and opportunity — to play for the United States at the World Championship. 'That happened (on Nov. 30) against Montreal, right when I got called up … Just kind of lingered all year, wore a brace all year. It was good to kind of get that situated,' Berard explained. 'It feels good, it feels strong. So just trying to get it all better, but we feel a lot better now.'After leading Hartford of the American Hockey League with 25 goals as a rookie pro in 2023-24, Berard made his NHL debut last season and finished with 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 35 games, largely in a bottom-six role. Despite playing with that shoulder injury, Berard provided a spark more often than not, using his speed and tenacity to generate energy for a team that often needed a source of it during a miserable 2024-25 season. In fact, two examples are when Berard stood out despite the rest of the lineup lacking much effort. On Nov. 27 against the Carolina Hurricanes, the Rangers were down 2-1 in the second period and looked like Thanksgiving turkeys. That is, until Berard scored his first NHL goal midway through the game with a sweet short-side snipe. What was refreshing about this goal was it came on an odd-man, 2-on-1 rush with Mika Zibanejad. When so many teammates would look to feed the star, Berard instead looked off the pass and made the most of the scoring Dec. 15, it was a bit of deja-vu. The Rangers were down 3-0 in the second period against the St. Louis Blues in another throwaway game. Once again, halfway through the period, Berard outworked everyone else on the ice to grab a loose puck, throwing an off-balance shot short side past goaltender Joel Hofer to make it 3-1 while being surrounded by several Blues players. In different ways, each goal showed Berard's willingness to grind it out at a higher level than most Rangers forwards did on these off nights. Sure, you can question his size (5-foot-9, 175 pounds) and sustainability at the NHL level. But you can't question his work ethic. There's a lot to like about Berard, who has a new coaching staff to impress this fall. But where does he fit in next season with the Rangers? Related: Brett Berard's competition for Rangers roster spot Berard is likely battling with the likes of Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault for a spot on the wing. While Perreault and Othmann are highly-touted prospects and former first-round picks, neither has scored an NHL goal yet, though each probably is ahead of Berard on the depth chart. The Rangers likely envision a day down the road when Perreault and Othmann are top-six staples. That still leaves room for Berard as a solid third-line option. Next season, though, each of those three young forwards could be in contention for a spot on the third two, or even all three could begin the season in Hartford. Barring injury, it's hard to imagine a way that more than two at most will be on the opening-night roster. If opening night has a Rangers third line of say, Berard-Vincent Trocheck-Taylor Raddysh, that certainly has the makings of an identity line. Of course, Othmann is bigger (6-foot, 195 pounds) than Berard and did impress with his physical play in 22 NHL games last season, so he'd also be an intriguing option on an identity line. Related: Othmann and Perreault present one obstacle for Berard. Then there's Conor Sheary. The 33-year-old signed a PTO with the Rangers and is direct competition for the third-line, left-wing slot, plus he helped the Pittsburgh Penguins win two Stanley Cup championships under Sullivan. That said, Sheary had his contract bought out by the Tampa Bay Lightning for a reason. His game has significantly dipped and should be someone who can push and mentor more than take someone's job come September. Juuso Parssinen is another younger (24) veteran who could be in competition for this roster spot as well. The vibe surrounding him seems more to see if he can win the 3C role — competing against Jonny Brodzinski — if the Rangers decide to play Zibanejad on the wing in the top six instead of at center. Brett Berard doing all right things to prepare for Rangers opportunity Spending the offseason training in Connecticut at Prentiss Performance Gym with several Rangers and other NHLers is certainly a great way for Berard to prepare for camp. Working out everyday with Adam Fox, Jonathan Quick, Matt Rempe, as well as the gym magnet Chris Kreider, and Trevor Zegras can only give him confidence ahead of next season. That he's going to be 100 percent healthy when camp begins is another major plus. Berard may not have the size the Rangers are looking for, but he has the resiliency in his game that was lacking from the Rangers too often last season. That, to go along with a deceiving shot gives him a chance of turning some heads with the new Rangers coaching staff. Hard to imagine this is the Rangers plan A, but the ingredients are there to surprise some people. Even if temporary until Othmann and/or Perreault prove to be ready. We've seen the undersized Sheary (5-foot-8, 182 pounds) flourish under coach Sullivan before. So why not Brett Berard? Related Headlines Jonny Brodzinski preps for Rangers season with summer league hat trick in Da Beauty League Rangers legend 'never really had a chance to say goodbye' until Chris Drury phone call changed everything Rangers top draft pick Malcolm Spence earns praise at World Junior Summer Showcase Rangers' most memorable regular-season games from 2000-25, including Mika Zibanejad's 5-goal night
New York Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Rangers' Brett Berard played with shoulder tear for most of season
Access the Rangers beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers. tRY IT NOW Brett Berard revealed that he tore his labrum in his shoulder during his fourth NHL game last season, which lingered throughout the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign before forcing him to withdraw from Team USA at the 2025 World Championship. 'That happened [on Nov. 30] against Montreal, right when I got called up,' the 22-year-old said Thursday before participating in the Shoulder Check Showcase at Terry Conners Rink in Stamford, Conn. 'Just kind of lingered all year, wore a brace all year. It was good to kind of get that situated. It feels good, it feels strong. So just trying to get it all better, but we feel a lot better now.' Advertisement No surgery was required, and Berard expects to be 100 percent ready to go for training camp. At the time of the injury, Berard had just been called up for the first time since the Rangers drafted him No. 134 overall in 2020. After the injury, the Rhode Island native missed just three games before returning to the lineup. Advertisement Brett Berard plays in the third annual Shoulder Check hockey showcase game at Terry Conners Rink on July 24, 2025, in Stamford, CT. Corey Sipkin for New York Post 'It was really just kind of a normal hit, I just went in weird. … It didn't feel great at all,' said Berard, who appeared in 35 games last season with the Rangers. 'I was out for a week or so. But it's one of those things where you're up in the NHL, you work your whole life for it. I felt like I was playing pretty good hockey, too, so you don't want to really lose that. So, just tried to play through it.' As first reported by The Post in May, Berard pulled out of the international tournament at the last minute due to what was described as 'physical limitations' at the time. Berard said he committed, skated once or twice and his shoulder didn't feel great. Advertisement Brett Berard plays in the third annual Shoulder Check hockey showcase game at Terry Conners Rink on July 24, 2025, in Stamford, CT. Corey Sipkin for New York Post When he realized he'd have no rehab time, Berard made the tough decision not to participate in the tournament. The injury hasn't affected his offseason training. Read the expert take on the Blueshirts Sign up for Larry Brooks' Inside the Rangers, a weekly Sports+ exclusive. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters Advertisement 'It stunk. I was rooting for everybody, it was awesome to see them win gold there,' Berard said of Team USA, which won its first standalone world championship title since 1933. 'It makes you a little bit jealous, but I know a ton of those guys, a lot of best friends with them. So it was awesome to watch them. … It was deserved. They had a great team. It was a ton of fun to watch them, but it did stink.'
New York Times
22-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
After ‘iconic' Rangers tenure, Chris Kreider opens up about New York departure: One-on-one
STAMFORD, Conn. — Chris Kreider arrived a few minutes early for his Monday workout at Prentiss Hockey Performance, where he's spent summers training for more than a decade. An array of jerseys from the gym's current and former clients line the walls, and Kreider's is featured prominently right across from the entrance. Advertisement With time to burn, the 34-year-old winger plopped into a chair at the front desk, turned toward the computer and pretended to do administrative work. As an earlier workout group of NHLers shuffled past, Kreider said hello to Adam Fox and Brett Berard, his now-former New York Rangers teammates. Much to Kreider's delight, Berard was wearing a shirt from Boston College, where his brother, Brady Berard, currently plays and where Kreider starred for three years. They chatted for a moment about the Golden Eagles' upcoming season. Relaxing behind the desk, Kreider was home. Comfortable. In a familiar place before a massive change. Last month, the Rangers sent Kreider — their longest-tenured player — to Anaheim for a third-round pick and prospect Carey Terrance, ending one of the most storied careers in franchise history. New York drafted Kreider with the No. 19 pick in 2009, and he became one of the faces of the team after his splashy debut in the 2012 playoffs. He was the constant from the 2014 team that made the Stanley Cup Final through the rebuilding teams of the 2010s to the return to contention in the 2020s. He's third in franchise history in goals, tied for first in power play goals and first in playoff goals. Now, for the first time, he won't be tipping in pucks for the Rangers. He's part of another NHL organization, one nearly 3,000 miles away from the only region he's ever called home. Kreider grew up in the Boston area, played for Boston College and then went to the Rangers. He's never lived outside of the Northeast. So how, in this time of transition, is he feeling about everything? 'Good,' he told The Athletic, before laughing. 'Bit of a loaded question.' He's at least had a bit of time to settle into an answer. Plenty of his former teammates have been dealt in-season. That, Kreider knows, can be a bit of a shock. Since his exit happened over the summer, he's been able to process the move at his own pace. Advertisement 'For me it's been kind of gradual, which I think is nice,' he said. 'I don't know; I have nothing to compare it to. 'There are brush points where it's kind of like 'this is happening, for sure.' (After Anaheim) shipped out my new equipment, jumping on the ice with Ducks stuff on, and people coming up to me and being like 'you look weird.'' The Rangers informed Kreider early in the offseason that they intended to move him, then worked with his camp to find a destination that suited him. Kreider had listed the Ducks on his partial no-trade list but agreed to sign off on the deal after taking a day to talk through the situation with his family. Anaheim's roster features several of Kreider's old Rangers teammates and friends, including former captain Jacob Trouba, Frank Vatrano and Ryan Strome, who joked that he urged Kreider to 'hurry up and sign the papers' while making the decision. 'He's a very proud Ranger and one of the most accomplished Rangers in history,' said Strome, who played with Kreider in New York from 2018-22. 'As much as I feel like he needed a bit of a fresh start and a new challenge, I also think it was probably not the easiest thing to go. … When you're dealing with a player of that pedigree and I think (with) the way some of the other exits of the Rangers' veterans in the previous years have gone, they wanted to let Chris handle it the way he wanted to handle it. I think he kind of steered the ship a little bit.' The Ducks' recent hiring of coach Joel Quenneville also intrigued Kreider, and he liked their young core, especially up the middle. He referred to 20-year-old center Leo Carlsson as a 'unicorn' Monday and called Mason McTavish a 'bull.' Kreider added that new teammates Radko Gudas, Troy Terry and Cutter Gauthier all welcomed him after the deal was finalized on June 12, and that Strome has been 'super helpful throughout the whole process.' Kreider is coming off a trying season in which the Rangers missed the playoffs. He had scored at least 36 goals in each of the prior three seasons but managed only 22 in 2024-25, his lowest mark in a full season since 2017-18, and had only eight assists in 68 games. In November, team president and general manager Chris Drury sent a memo to other general managers saying he was open to trading roster players and mentioned Kreider and Trouba by name. That came two games into a 4-15-0 skid and foreshadowed both veteran players' departures. Advertisement Along with the trade rumors, Kreider battled multiple injuries over the year. He dealt with back spasms in the first part of the season, then an illness that resulted in vertigo coming out of Christmas break. When he started to feel healthy again, he hurt his left hand in a February game against Buffalo. He sat for six games, then tried to play through the injury with lots of tape on his hand, hoping to help the Rangers into a playoff spot. That wasn't particularly effective. 'One little push in the game and it was just back to square one,' he said. After the season, Kreider had surgery that put metal in his hand to hold it together, leaving him with a three-inch scar. 'Now I've got a Wolverine hand,' he said, mimicking the superhero unleashing one of his retractable claws. The doctor gave Kreider a six-to-eight week recovery timeline, but Kreider recalled receiving medical clearance to return in four. 'I've been doing a ton of stuff in here (in the gym), just doing what I can to be in good shape,' he said. As he talked through the surgery, Kreider detoured to reflect on several other hand and wrist issues he dealt with in his Rangers tenure: a scaphoid injury that ended his 2014 regular season and sidelined him until the second round of the playoffs; an ECU tendon tear he played through in 2017; a wrist injury in the 2022 playoffs. Some were more prohibitive than others, and his hand injury in 2025 was one that likely affected his performance. 'I think he's got a ton of game left,' Strome added. 'I think Kreids is a very humble guy. Last year he wouldn't tell many people but he was probably playing through some tough injuries. You topple on that with some team disappointment and some personal disappointment and I think things kind of just snowball there in a bad direction.' Strome also believes joining the Ducks could help rejuvenate Kreider, even if the initial sight of him wearing their jersey might be jarring. Advertisement 'That'll definitely take some getting used to,' Strome said. 'The last two decades, you think of iconic New York Rangers and you have Henrik Lundqvist, then Chris Kreider is — if not second — third or fourth on that list.' Since the trade to Anaheim, Kreider said plenty of people in the community have approached him and expressed their gratitude, which seemed fitting. 'That's how I feel, too,' he said. As for whether a change of scenery will help bring out extra motivation, Kreider said with a laugh, 'This is my first time experiencing it. Hopefully.' Kreider has yet to visit Anaheim since the deal, but he's figured out a place to live close to other players. He's planning to take a trip there soon. 'I've gotta get the lay of the land,' he said. But just because he's no longer a Ranger does not mean he's bidding a permanent farewell to the Northeast. Asked if Connecticut and the New York area will remain home for his offseasons, Kreider answered before the question was over. 'Yes.' He has roots here — and a whole lot of history, too. (Photo by Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What should Rangers do with Chris Kreider? Who might Mike Sullivan name to his staff? Mailbag, part 1
NEW YORK — The Eastern Conference final begins Tuesday. A year ago, the Rangers were in it. This year, their season has been over for more than a month. With the offseason in full swing, let's dig into some mailbag questions. This is only part one of the mailbag, so don't worry if your question didn't get answered. We'll get to more in the coming days. (Editor's note: These questions have been edited for clarity and length.) Is there any concern about Adam Fox's knee moving forward? He seemed to be a step slower this past season. — Kevin S. Your question is probably rooted in Fox's two knee-on-knee collisions from the 2023-24 season: one against Carolina's Sebastian Aho in the regular season that kept him out nearly a month, then another in the playoffs from Washington's Nick Jensen. Fox played through injury after the latter, missing no games. Advertisement Those plays both happened over a year ago. On breakup day last month, Fox spoke to reporters before going through his exit medical tests, but he said he didn't expect needing any procedures over the summer. While medical updates for other players have come out since the end of the season — Brett Berard pulled out of the World Championships due to a minor injury and K'Andre Miller underwent surgery for an upper-body injury — nothing has emerged in regards to Fox. My sense is he's healthy. Fox's lack of speed is nothing new. He's never been overly reliant on his skating. Despite some of his disappointing counting stat totals this year, he still had elite underlying numbers and actually increased his even-strength point total from 2023-24. New York's floundering power play is a main reason his season numbers went down. As the quarterback of the top unit, he of course shares in the blame here. But I don't think a change in his skating was one of the group's main issues. Overall, my opinion of Fox hasn't changed much. Perhaps this season was a slight disappointment — I gave him a B- in my report card story — but I still view him as a No. 1 defenseman. New coach Mike Sullivan called him elite during his opening news conference. Of all the players on the Rangers, he's not among the ones I'm most concerned about going forward. I had another question in this mailbag (from Jf F.) asking if the Rangers would consider trading Fox. That would make no sense. He's still only 27, and his $9.5 million cap hit will age well as the cap goes up. To put some perspective on Fox's season: He averaged .82 points per game in 2024-25. That's down from his career average (.856), but the only defensemen to have averaged higher than his 2024-25 rate over the past five years (minimum 100 games played) are Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Roman Josi, Fox himself and Victor Hedman. So if this season if Fox's floor, he still keeps pretty good company. Advertisement As tough as last season was, I'd hate to see Chris Kreider go. With the cap going up substantially and a new coach, I can see him regaining at least around 25 goal form. Not to mention his penalty killing abilities. Do you see a situation where they keep Kreider and he's able to finish his career as a lifelong Ranger? If not, how do they replace what he brings to the lineup? — Erik B. There's a world in which Kreider is back for 2025-26, but it doesn't feel like the most likely outcome unless something changes. Your point about the cap going up is true, but the Rangers have already used a lot of that would-be flexibility with the addition of J.T. Miller and Carson Soucy and extensions for the likes of Igor Shesterkin, Alexis Lafrenière, Will Borgen, Jonathan Quick and Urho Vaakanainen, all of which will kick in next season. In short, the team is facing a cap crunch. President Chris Drury will likely have to shed salary just to fit in new contracts for the team's restricted free agents, including K'Andre Miller and Will Cuylle. Trading Kreider, who has a $6.5 million cap hit for the next two seasons, is one route to creating space. Kreider still has some agency in his situation. He has a 15-team no-trade list. If he doesn't want to leave New York, he can be strategic with his list and eliminate teams that would have the salary cap flexibility to add him. That could force Drury to either keep Kreider, put him on waivers, retain money on a trade or buy him out. If he does the latter, the Rangers would still have a $3 million cap hit for Kreider in 2025-26, then $4 million in 2026-27 and $1.5 million the two years after. It might not come to that, though. If Kreider is open to a change, his camp and the Rangers could work together to find his next team. I wouldn't expect any big-name replacements for Kreider. The Rangers won't have a ton of flexibility because of their restricted free agents even if they are able to trade him without retaining. They would perhaps have enough room to bring in a depth player or two, but it would be impossible cap-wise for them to sign one of the main free agents unless they traded another roster player with a sizable cap hit. Younger players — Gabe Perreault, Brett Berard and Brennan Othmann — could also potentially get more opportunities if Kreider goes. If traded, I'd like to see Kreider fetch a second-round pick and a better-than-decent prospect. Do you think Drury would retain significant salary to make this happen? — Frank B. I've been wrong about how teams value players before — I thought New York would have to retain some of Jacob Trouba's contract to trade him, for example — but I'd temper your expectations on what a Kreider return would look like. He's coming off a career-worst season and a plethora of health issues. That's concerning for a 34-year-old player. Getting a second-round pick and a good prospect feels outlandish, even if the Rangers retain money in a deal. Advertisement Assuming no real seismic changes to the roster, does the 2025-26 team perform more like the Presidents' Trophy winner of two years ago or the team that missed the playoffs this year? — Matthew L. Probably somewhere in the middle. Sullivan should provide a boost. He's a well-regarded coach who the Rangers hope could bring long-term stability to the organiation, and the new-coach bump is often real. It certainly has been with these Rangers, who made the Eastern Conference final in the first season under both Gerard Gallant and Peter Laviolette. Based on underlying numbers, the 2023-24 team probably overperformed. There's a reason Drury sent out his trade memo in November, even though the team was 12-6-1 at the time: He didn't believe his group, largely the same as the year before, was good enough as constructed to win a championship. The 2024-25 club might never have been a great team, but with the players it had on the roster, it certainly left wins on the table. A 4-15-0 stretch is inexcusable. It's hard to see that happening again in 2025-26. The path to the playoffs might be more difficult next season, given the up-and-coming Montreal Canadiens and Columbus Blue Jackets both just enjoyed better seasons than the one the Rangers had. But assuming some New York players have bounce-back seasons — even slight ones — the Rangers should be capable of at least being in contention for a postseason spot. Any chance K'Andre Miller gets back to 40-45 points? — Unnamed There's certainly a chance, especially under a new coaching staff. Miller also scored at a higher rate the latter part of this past season. In his final 35 games, he had five goals and 20 points. The Rangers certainly need more from him than he showed at the start of 2023-24, but he's still only 25 and has already shown he can score more than 40 points. What are the reasons for looking to trade Artemi Panarin? If it is to clear salary, you can't replace that production at his current cost, and how many 1a wingers are available? If anything, after this past season, we need more goal scorers, not less. — Mike K. There's no indication the team is looking to move Panarin, but if they were to do so it would be to create salary cap flexibility. Panarin is also set to hit free agency after 2025-26, so if Drury does not want to pay him big money long-term, it would be a chance to recoup picks and potentially younger players that could help the team down the line. Obviously, there's more to Panarin's situation than strictly his on-ice production. The Athletic's Katie Strang reported in April that Panarin and Madison Square Garden paid settlements to a Rangers employee last year after she alleged that Panarin sexually assaulted her. Is the plan to have Mika Zibanejad back on the wing or at center? If wing, who would slot into the 3C role? — Rachel F. This is an interesting dilemma for Sullivan as he evaluates his new roster. Zibanejad mentioned liking his chemistry with J.T. Miller, so that could be a natural fit as he ages. But as you said, that opens up a question mark at third-line center. New York extended Juuso Pärssinen, but it'd be a risk to assume he can seize that role. He had five points in 11 games with New York and spent plenty of time as a healthy scratch. Advertisement In my recent free agent board, I mentioned Adam Gaudette, Christian Dvorak and Lars Eller as potential depth center options. None are perfect candidates, but the Rangers don't have much cap flexibility to work with. Who do you expect Sullivan to bring in as his assistant coaches and will either Michael Peca or Dan Muse be considered? — Torsten S. Peca and Muse, who were on Peter Laviolette's staff, both will have the opportunity to interview for jobs under Sullivan. I'd also keep an eye on Mike Vellucci. He was one of Sullivan's assistants in Pittsburgh the past five seasons. How plausible would it be for them to move on from Vincent Trocheck before it becomes a problem contract? — Michael P. Chris Drury has had a spotty track record signing free agents, but Trocheck has been one of his better ones. It's hard to see the Rangers moving on, even if Trocheck is almost 32. Trocheck's contract has a no-movement clause, but that goes to a 12-team no-trade list on July 1. He has a 10-team no-trade list in 2026-27, then a six-team list the final two years of his deal. So if he really starts slipping Drury could try to move him toward the end of his contract. Any chance that the Rangers sign Vladislav Gavrikov or Sam Bennett this summer? — Nicholas R. I wrote a bit about Gavrikov in my recent free agent board. He'd fit well on paper as a potential long-term option to pair with Fox, but it would mean clearing significant cap space. Drury would probably have to trade K'Andre Miller to make that happen, and even that still might not create enough cap room. Plus, if the Rangers did trade him it would come with major risk, given Miller is only 25 and has already shown top-four ability. It's harder to see Bennett happening. If he leaves Florida — a big if — he's in line for a major payday. The free agent market is weak and plenty of teams have cap space. I could see some startlingly large contracts this summer, and Bennett is the type of player who could receive one. What one or two players need to have the biggest bounce-back or big leap forward this season in order to have team success? — Ogie O. Zibanejad and Alexis Lafrenière were the first two who popped into my head. Zibanejad was better in the second half, but the Rangers need him to be that level of player — or perhaps better — for the full season. He's also part of the top power-play unit, which needed to be much better this season for the Rangers to have a chance. Lafrenière's 2024-25 season was disappointing because of what he showed in 2023-24. Him getting back to that level would be huge. New York needs the Panarin-Trocheck-Lafrenière line to be dominant like it was in 2023-24. (Photo of Chris Kreider: James Guillory / Imagn Images)
New York Post
12-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
Rangers' Brett Berard pulls out of IIHF World Championship
Access the Rangers beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting member-only features, including real-time texting with Mollie Walker about the inside buzz on the Rangers. tRY IT NOW Brett Berard will not be a part of Team USA at the 2025 World Championship over the next couple weeks, after the 22-year-old Ranger had to pull out at the last minute due to some 'physical limitations.' According to a league source, Berard's agent has been in touch with the International Ice Hockey Federation and Team USA regarding his client sitting out of the international tournament for what appears to be a minor issue. Berard is expected to still be able to train this offseason, per a source. There is also no concern about his participation in training camp. The tournament, which began on Friday, is set to run through May 25 in Stockholm, Sweden and Herning, Denmark. Rangers forward Brett Berard has pulled out of the IIHF World Championship. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect After making his NHL debut on Nov. 25, 2024, Berard finished the 2024-25 season with six goals and four assists in his first 35 career games. He missed three games in December for an undisclosed upper-body injury. 'I feel like it was just last month I was moving into my apartment there in Hartford,' Berard said during the Rangers' break-up day on April 21. 'If you told me at the beginning of the year that I would have played 35 games in the NHL, I'd take that as if it was a dream come true. It was special to be here. It was special to be around this group of guys. Came in, right away everyone made me feel right in place.' Berard said he plans to return to the area at the beginning of June to work out with his fellow teammates, Chris Kreider, Matt Rempe and Jonathan Quick, at Prentiss Hockey Performance in Stamford.
