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New York Post
6 days ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Brett Berard eager to make strong impression on new Rangers coach with lineup spot up for grabs
Brett Berard was competing in just his fourth career NHL game when he suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder. 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 It was a 'normal hit' in the Rangers' eventual 4-3 win over the Canadiens at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 30, Berard explained before suiting up for the Shoulder Check Showcase last week. He missed just three games, returned to the lineup and appeared in 31 more contests in what ultimately became a lost 2024-25 season that ended in early April. '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,' Berard said of the injury, which didn't require surgery despite forcing him to pull out of the 2025 World Championship this summer. 'I felt like I was playing pretty good hockey, too, so you don't want to really lose that. So, [I] just tried to play through it.' The circumstances surrounding Berard's first NHL recall are worth mentioning for context. 4 Rangers' Brett Berard participates in the third annual Shoulder Check hockey showcase game with more than 25 NHL hockey players at Terry Conners Rink on Thursday, July 24, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Here was a 22-year-old, long-shot draft pick by the club — at 134th overall in 2020 — who had worked his way up the organizational depth chart. The Rangers were beginning to implode in the aftermath of president and general manager Chris Drury's leaked league-wide memo soliciting trade partners for his captain and longest-tenured player. The losing streak had just hit a season-high five straight games following a dud in Philadelphia. Berard's recall was made with hope that the 5-foot-9, 175-pound wing, who was Hartford's leading scorer at the time, could help give the team some new life. It was a lofty situation to be walking into for a rookie, but one that Berard embraced with excitement and patience. This despite going back down to the AHL for a bit before coming in and out of the Rangers lineup through the final two months of the season. No one could save the Rangers sinking ship, but Berard certainly made an impression that could set him up for a legitimate battle to make the roster out of training camp this upcoming season. 4 Rangers left wing Brett Berard celebrates with his teammates after he scores a goal during the first period at Madison Square Garden in New York on January 2, 2025. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST 'I'm confident. I feel like I'm confident in myself,' he said of the possibility. 'I really don't try to look at the roster, who's where. None of that. Anything can happen. I think just going into anything, going into life, tryouts, growing up going to baseball: You get one tryout. You get one first impression. 'Just do your best. That's kind of all. I'm a big believer of everything happens for a reason, so I feel like if I put myself in the best position I can, it'll be good.' Berard, who plans to be 100 percent ready for training camp, will presumably duke it out with fellow youngsters Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault for a roster spot. There may be only one up for grabs amongst the three, especially amid the additions of veterans Taylor Raddysh and Conor Sheary (PTO). 4 Brett Berard speaks to the media. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST Though a player like Sheary might have a leg up because of his history with new head coach Mike Sullivan, Berard is believed to have the skill set that will play well into the incoming system and preferred style of play. The Rhode Island native posted six goals in his 35 games with the Rangers last season, totaling 10 points and a minus-6 rating. It was his energy and speed, however, that seemed to positively impact the Rangers the most. In addition to rehabbing his shoulder this summer, Berard has put on some weight and chosen to spend his offseason in the tri-state area training with NHLers at Prentiss Hockey Performance in Stamford, Conn. He's been working with his Rangers teammates Adam Fox, Matt Rempe and Jonathan Quick. With a different-looking coaching staff waiting for him in training camp, Berard is harping on his first impression. You only get one, he said, noting that it'll be imperative for him to not take a single day off. 4 Rangers' Brett Berard participates in the third annual Shoulder Check hockey showcase game with more than 25 NHL hockey players at Terry Conners Rink on Thursday, July 24, 2025. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST 'I've talked to [Sullivan] a couple times, just being in the area, being at the gym, too,' Berard said. 'He's awesome. Everything I've heard about him is awesome. Super excited to get started. I think, for me, kind of not focusing on that stuff and if my game plays well into his game. I think I do things that he likes from his players. But yeah, for me, it's just continuing to play my game with confidence and bring my speed, my energy, tenacity and hockey sense to put it all together. 'I'm looking forward to the start of the year. Getting a taste of it last year, I know it's cliché, but just hungry for more. The opportunity that comes in September should be good, should be a lot of fun. Just put my best foot forward and see what happens.'
New York Times
25-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Rangers mailbag: Will Panarin extend? Drury's cap usage? Prospect outlooks?
Most of the Rangers have scattered back to their offseason homes this summer, but a group has stuck around the tri-state area. Adam Fox, Matt Rempe, Jonathan Quick and Brett Berard are all doing their summer training at the Prentiss Hockey Performance gym in Stamford, Conn. 'Being together every day, it's been a good bond that we've created,' Berard said Thursday before playing in the Shoulder Check Showcase charity game, which is also in Stamford. 'Lucky to be with those guys. They're all world-class people, world-class players, too. I've learned a lot so far.' Advertisement 'It's all competitive,' Rempe added. 'You've got Quickie in there: he's (39) and still slinging the weights around. It's unreal.' All four of those Rangers participated in the Shoulder Check game — Fox, Berard and Rempe as players, and the veteran Quick as a coach — and Rempe said he's itching for the season to get going again. Speaking before the game, Berard said he suffered a torn labrum last November. He played through the injury but pulled out of the 2025 World Championships to give it time to recover. He said he'll be ready for training camp. Now, let's get into part two of the mailbag. Here's part one from last week, in case you missed it. Some questions have been lightly edited for clarity and length. Are there any examples in the salary cap era of teams doing what the Rangers have done this past year — swapping out 40 percent of the roster and missing the playoffs — who went on to win a Cup within a year or two? — James B. In the cap era (since 2005-06), three teams have missed the playoffs the season right before winning the Stanley Cup: the Golden Knights (2023 champions), the Blues (2019) and the Hurricanes (2006). Two others missed the playoffs two seasons before winning the Stanley Cup: Chicago before winning in 2010 and the Ducks before winning in 2007. I'm going to omit three of those five teams from consideration for your question. Chicago was an up-and-coming team in a wholly different spot than the Rangers, whose playoff miss in 2024-25 came after a stretch of sustained postseason appearances. I'm also going to exclude Peter Laviolette's Hurricanes and Ducks, who won in the two years directly after the salary cap's introduction. During a time of significant change for the NHL, only seven players (minimum 30 games played) who finished the 2003-04 season with Carolina were gone by the start of the 2005-06 season. Anaheim, meanwhile, made the conference final the year after the lockout, so there were three calendar years between it missing the 2003-04 playoffs and winning the Cup in 2007. Advertisement That leaves the Golden Knights and the Blues. Both were consistent playoff teams, then missed the playoffs in disappointing seasons directly before winning the Cup. To add context to your question, 12 of the 22 players (55 percent) who appeared in the 2024 playoffs for the Rangers are now gone. Vegas reached the conference final in 2021 — the year before its postseason miss — and 11 of the Golden Knights' 25 players (44 percent) who played in that playoff run were gone by the start of the 2022-23 season. The Blues won a playoff round in 2017, and nine of the 23 players (39 percent) weren't with the club when its championship season began. There are a couple of interesting similarities between Vegas, St. Louis, and New York: All traded for center upgrades either in the midst of or directly after their respective playoff-less seasons. The Golden Knights got Jack Eichel during the 2021-22 season, the Blues added eventual Conn Smythe winner Ryan O'Reilly before 2018-19 and the Rangers acquired J.T. Miller this past January. The three clubs also all made coaching changes either directly after failing to qualify for the postseason or early in the next season. Most recently, the Rangers hired Mike Sullivan, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, after firing Laviolette immediately after the season. These teams' situations are not parallel, though. Vegas and the Blues had strong groups of defensemen the year they won the Stanley Cup; it's yet to be seen if the Rangers have upgraded enough there after a woeful defensive season in 2024-25. Additionally, St. Louis and Vegas had better seasons than New York did in the years they missed the playoffs. The Blues and Golden Knights each had 94 points in 2017-18 and 2021-22, respectively. The Rangers had nine fewer (85) this past season. Vegas also had rotten injury luck in 2021-22. Alex Tuch — a key part of the trade package for Eichel — didn't play before the deal, and Eichel was coming off neck surgery and played only 34 games for the Golden Knights. Captain Mark Stone, key forward Max Pacioretty and defenseman Alec Martinez all missed more than half the season, and Reilly Smith and William Karlsson both were out at least 15 games. Health circumstances factored into the disappointing Vegas season more than it did with the Rangers, who were relatively healthy in 2024-25. Advertisement Plenty of teams have tried to turn over their rosters quickly and had less-than-historic results. Most Stanley Cup winners in the cap era were consistent playoff teams without exception in the years leading up to their championships. All of that is to warn that just because other teams successfully navigated seemingly similar situations to New York's doesn't mean the Rangers are likely to get the same results. Who leads the Rangers in scoring this year? — Michael B. The safe bet is that Artemi Panarin will lead the team in points. He has done so in each of his six seasons with the club, after all, and has been durable throughout his career. J.T. Miller had 103 points in 2023-24 with Vancouver and 99 in 2021-22, so he could challenge for the team lead. His production returning to that level would be a massive boost for New York. What is the plan past next season, especially with Panarin? Despite the moves made in the past six months, this does not seem like a team ready to compete for the Cup, and with his contract up at the end of next season it was surprising there was no talk or effort to move him. — Kyle B. Panarin, who will turn 34 early in the 2025-26 season, was eligible to sign an extension starting July 1. I asked Chris Drury in July about how much he was prioritizing an extension, but he declined to comment. 'I'm not going to get into private conversations I have with players and agents,' Drury said. 'They are just that to me: private. But as I said in the past, Artemi is a big piece of our team and our organization. We think the world of him as a player and (are) thrilled he is a Ranger.' I would not take that to mean the Rangers don't want to extend Panarin. He's been one of the most productive players in the league since signing a seven-year, $11.64 million average annual contract in 2019. New York has set itself up to have significant cap space next summer (around $29 million, according to PuckPedia). Some of that will have to go to restricted free agents — namely Braden Schneider, who will be due a new deal — but Drury will presumably want to target big-name players. Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov and Eichel are all pending unrestricted free agents, though it's unclear if any of them will actually reach the market. If the Rangers don't even have a chance to bid on one of them — a very real possibility — it will have a whole lot of money to spend, and bringing Panarin back would make total sense from a hockey perspective. Plus, depending on whether Panarin is willing to compromise on AAV, the Rangers could have room for both him and another major addition. There will be other impactful players in next summer's class, even beyond the franchise-altering names. Panarin's age will factor into the Rangers' thinking. Even with its cap space, New York presumably wouldn't risk a high AAV deal with term for someone in his mid-30s. He has yet to show signs of regression, but the older he gets, the more likely that becomes. Advertisement Panarin's name not surfacing in trade rumors should not be a surprise. The Rangers have eyes on returning to contention this season, and it would be hard to do that without their leading scorer. Additionally, the winger has a no-movement clause, so he could block any deal the Rangers tried to complete. Of course, there's more to hockey with Panarin's situation. As The Athletic's Katie Strang reported in April, Panarin and Madison Square Garden Sports — the company that owns the Rangers — paid financial settlements to a Rangers employee last year after she alleged that Panarin sexually assaulted her. The Rangers put out a statement saying only that, 'The matter has been resolved,' and Panarin declined comment when asked multiple times in the aftermath of the report. Adam Fox is too small and possibly the slowest player in the league. The power play was poor last year. Is there an option on the roster to run the power play and limit his minutes? — Curt C. There are certainly other options to quarterback the top power play, but none who would make the team better than if Fox were running it. He didn't have his best season in 2024-25, but he was also better than the general narrative around him seems to suggest. He still had strong underlying numbers, and his even-strength points were actually up from 2023-24 (40 vs. 38). New York is far better with him on the ice than off it. Limiting his minutes is the last thing Sullivan should do. You're correct that the power play struggled this past season. It was a huge difference between the Presidents' Trophy-winning club in 2023-24 and the disappointing one in 2024-25. Fox shares in responsibility for that, but he's not alone. Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad had their lowest power play goal outputs since 2016-17, and Panarin's power play production (26 points) was its lowest since the shortened 2020-21 season. Vincent Trocheck went from 24 power play points in 2023-24 to 12. It's also worth noting that, when Fox missed eight games with an upper-body injury late in the season, the power play went an abysmal 2-for-26. That was tied for third worst in the league during that stretch. The power play continued to struggle when Fox returned, but on the year it was much better in games in which he was healthy (19.02 percent success rate in 74 games) than in games in which he wasn't (7.7 percent success rate in eight games). Were the Rangers in on Isaac Howard, who ended up in Edmonton? Second query: We saw a number of prospects make their NHL debuts last season with the Rangers. Are there legitimate others in the pipeline? — John G. The Rangers might have had internal discussions on Howard, the Lightning's 2022 first-round pick, but my sense is they weren't one of the main players for him. The Oilers ended up acquiring him for Sam O'Reilly, their 2024 first-round pick. EJ Emery and newly drafted Malcolm Spence are likely the Rangers' two biggest prospects who haven't debuted, but both are set to play NCAA hockey this season at North Dakota and Michigan, respectively. Neither is in line to play NHL games this year. Advertisement Of the prospects who haven't already played NHL games, goalie Dylan Garand will likely get a look if Igor Shesterkin or Jonathan Quick get hurt. He's coming off a strong year with AHL Hartford and played at World Championships with Team Canada. Adam Sýkora could also be getting close to an NHL debut. Colleague Scott Wheeler ranked him No. 6 in the Rangers' prospect pool in January, and he now has two full AHL seasons under his belt. Perhaps Noah Laba or Carey Terrance get a look this year if the injuries put the Rangers in need of a center, but the team also signed veteran Justin Dowling for organizational depth up the middle. What's the plan with Dylan Garand? — Collin E. Garand, 23, is still a restricted free agent, but there is no concern about whether he and the Rangers will get a deal done, according to a league source. He will still be exempt from waivers this coming season, so New York can assign him to AHL Hartford without any fear of losing him for nothing. He should be the No. 1 there and, as stated last answer, potentially get NHL action depending on injuries. If he has another good year, he could put himself in position to be Shesterkin's full-time backup in 2026-27. Do you see players like Brennan Othmann and Brett Berard eventually becoming long-term Rangers, or are they just young trade bait for a restricted free agent or tradable superstar available within the next year or two? — Robert B. It's too early to say whether Othmann or Berard will be long-time Rangers, considering they have yet to establish themselves as full-time NHLers. Both showed promise last year and should have chances to contend for roster spots at training camp. As for whether they could be trade bait: Berard and Othmann could be add-ins to a trade, but neither would be a centerpiece in a deal for a big-name player. There's a world in which one or both are neither long-timer Rangers or involved in major trades. Will Sullivan give the kids — Gabe Perreault, Brennan Othman, Brett Berard, Scott Morrow and Adam Edström — enough NHL ice time early in the season to prove their worth? Can they all be sent down without being subject to waivers? — Michael K. Sullivan showed a willingness to play young players in Pittsburgh. Matt Murray, Bryan Rust, Olli Määttä and Conor Sheary were among the young players he relied on his first year as Penguins head coach en route to a Stanley Cup. But for Sullivan to trust a young player, he has to earn it, just like everyone else. He stressed in his opening news conference that no Rangers player is entitled to ice time. 'It really is an individualized process,' he said. 'I don't think you can paint every player with the same brush. … Part of the art of coaching is trying to figure out what that daily recipe is that's best for the players. Sometimes it's time in the American League as a young player, sometime it's time in the National League depending on the types of minutes that player can play.' It's imperative for developing players to get reps, so if those players are regular scratches, they probably should go down to AHL Hartford for more consistent playing time. Edström is the only one you listed who would require waivers; the others can be sent to the Wolf Pack without risk of losing them to a claim by another team. Why can't Drury seem to keep the cap manageable? Are we doomed to be in a perpetual cap crunch with him as general manager? Seems like we are in a cap crunch, then he pulls a rabbit out of his hat and then six months later we are still in a cap crunch. He seems to be better at shedding cap than using it wisely. — Ptlaino Some of this is the reality of being a salary cap team. General managers around the league are constantly trying to figure out ways to keep their cap sheets under the upper limit. Advertisement Your critique of his use of cap space is fair. It's impossible to know what the market would have been for some pending unrestricted free agents or restricted free agents, but some of the contracts Drury gave out after trading Jacob Trouba were a bit head-scratching, considering how much every bit of cap flexibility matters. Could he have saved some room on the extensions for Juuso Pärssinen (two years, $1.25 million AAV), Urho Vaakanainen (two years, $1.55 million AAV) and Will Borgen (five years, $4.1 million AAV)? Possibly, though perhaps not on Borgen, given what other defensemen got on the open market this summer. Taking Carson Soucy's $3.25 million cap hit ahead of last deadline could also age poorly if the defenseman doesn't bounce back to 2023-24 form. Saving $100,000 here and there can add up to the ability to sign a role player. Drury might have limited himself a bit in that regard. He did, however, negotiate a good deal on the Vladislav Gavrikov free agent contract. The former Kings' defenseman — who had elite shutdown numbers this past season — almost certainly could've netted more in free agency than the seven year, $7 million AAV deal he got from the Rangers. As mentioned earlier, the Rangers will have significant cap space after the 2025-26 season. How Drury manages to use it will greatly impact the team's ceiling in the coming years.
New York Post
25-07-2025
- 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.'
Miami Herald
30-06-2025
- Health
- Miami Herald
The Shoulder Check's Mental Health Movement Promotes Hockey Players And Beyond To ‘Make Contact'
Mental health is often overlooked in not just hockey and sports but society as a whole. One in five Canadians will experience a mental illness in a given year, according to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. In the United States, it's one in five adults and one in six youth aged 6 to 17, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness. One hockey-centered initiative promotes support and important dialogue in the fight to raise mental health awareness. Shoulder Check, an initiative introduced by the #HT40 foundation in August 2023, is a non-profit that encourages individuals to support, check in and be there for one another. After his son's passing, Thorsen received stories and letters from people who knew Hayden, with the common thread being how supportive and caring of an individual he was. With that, Thorsen began a mission to continue what his son started. The #HT40 Foundation and Shoulder Check were created by Rob Thorsen, who lost his son Hayden Thorsen to suicide in 2022 when Hayden was just 16. Hayden was an avid hockey player, and those who came across him always expressed how he was always there for support and to talk when needed. 'He was empathetic, which I think isn't the most common descriptor for guys like that, right?' Thorsen said. 'And so when we thought about that, like, 'Who's going to do what (Hayden) did now that he's gone?' This idea answers that question.' The main message Shoulder Check promotes is to 'make kindness a contact sport.' Their team has spread this message through initiatives with various schools, hockey clubs and leagues. Even some NHL clubs are involved, including the Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Anaheim Ducks and New York Islanders. Through their messaging, there are three main pillars that Shoulder Check focuses on: reach out, check in and make contact. This message has been very well received and has, in part, allowed Thorsen and Shoulder Check to bring the program to huge heights. That includes the Shoulder Check Showcase, an annual charity hockey game that started in 2023. The game, which has featured NHL and PWHL players, takes place at Terry Conners Rink in Stamford, Conn., a rink where Thorsen's son used to train during his time as a hockey goalie. Thorsen said the participating players, including Trevor Zegras and Chris Kreider, hugely support Shoulder Check's message and have spoken very openly about it during the showcase. 'It's amazing to hear them speak so honestly about it, so much so that I've had people write and reach out to me afterwards, and be like, 'Man, you know, I saw one of the guys speaking about this last night,' and it really just struck me, you know, like the power of a role model sharing something so honest and true.' ' The Shoulder Check Showcase returns on July 24, and the list of NHL players is the biggest yet: Zegras, Kreider, Jake Oettinger, Jonathan Quick, Matty Beniers, Shane Pinto, Jacob Trouba, Matt Rempe, Mason McTavish, Shayne Gostisbehere and more. 'There's an autograph line that these guys will spend like an hour in just interacting with all the kids who come out. It's a really special thing,' Thorsen said. Beyond the 2025 showcase, Thorsen and the Shoulder Check program have big plans in the works. Shoulder Check looks to continue its work with schools of all age groups and even expand its reach to other sports and avenues beyond just hockey. It's also expected to reveal a new campaign in the fall, Thorsen said. 'We hope to have a campaign that launches at the start of next year's hockey season that brings this message forward in a totally different way that we're really excited about,' Thorsen said. Apart from future plans, and with June being Pride month, Thorsen expressed the importance of being there for people in specific communities during these months but also the greater importance of 'maintaining that awareness throughout the whole year.' 'We've got to be aware of folks who we know are more vulnerable or might be struggling more all year round, all the time,' he said. 'Whether that be Pride month, or we talk about inclusion and 'hockey is for everybody' and all those great things that are trying to build the biggest tent possible, like, that's a truth. We're all capable of looking after one another.' The work that Thorsen, the #HT40 Foundation and the Shoulder Check program are doing is truly special, and the message of making 'kindness a contact sport' reaches and helps those far beyond the scope of hockey. As Thorsen says, it is continuing the legacy of his son Hayden, who was always there for his peers. 'We didn't set out to turn a horrible thing into a positive thing,' he said. 'We set out to make sure something someone was doing in the world continues to be done, but now can be done at scale, because we know it mattered.' For more information and to donate to the #HT40 Foundation and the Shoulder Check program, check out their website. There, you can also purchase merchandise, as well as tickets for the upcoming 2025 Shoulder Check Showcase charity game. Get thelatest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and bysubscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting belowthe article on Copyright 2025 The Hockey News, Roustan Media Ltd.
