Starting Aug. 22 and operating by way of Sept. 2, lohud.com and the USA TODAY Community will reveal our annual rating of the highest 10 prospects within the New York Rangers’ group.
These reviews, with one set to be printed every day, are based mostly on conversations with Rangers’ hockey personnel, coaches and trainers who’ve labored with these prospects, scouts from world wide and different sources. Any gamers who’re eligible for the Calder Trophy − 25 or youthful and haven’t performed greater than 25 NHL video games in a season nor six or extra video games in any two previous seasons − are up for consideration.
No. 6: Ahead Brett Berard
When requested about Brett Berard, the scout on the opposite finish of the cellphone took a second to contemplate his reply. Then he blurted what was on his thoughts.
“He is a [jerk] to play towards,” he mentioned. “There is not any different solution to put it.”
That wasn’t precisely how he phrased it, however you get the purpose – and it was meant as a praise.
Those that have adopted the New York Rangers’ 2020 fifth-round choose intently inform tales about him “chirping” and flustering opponents, each in video games for Windfall Faculty and whereas a member of Workforce USA on the World Junior Championships. He sometimes backs up the smack discuss with an “infectious” work fee and loads of talent in addition.
So how did a ahead with that mix of aggressive hearth, excessive motor and scoring means fall to select No. 134 general?
“Loads of groups had him ranked late as a result of there wasn’t a ton of factors on the U.S. (Nationwide Workforce Growth) Program and he’s smaller,” a league supply recalled. “He was simply considered as a tough employee, however he is gotten confidence on the faculty degree.”
The 19-year-old left winger (he’ll flip 20 on Sept. 9) has thrived by way of two seasons at Windfall, however his popping out occasion occurred finally yr’s World Juniors whereas serving to the U.S. win gold.
Berard flourished as a speedy forechecker and playmaker on an lively third line, laying out the blueprint for a future position with the Blueshirts.
“He stood out as a result of he likes the large stage and he was prepared for it,” Rangers director of participant improvement Jed Ortmeyer mentioned. “He took benefit of his alternative.”
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He parlayed that into a powerful sophomore season at Windfall, posting 38 factors (18 targets and 20 assists) in 36 video games. However it hasn’t all been easy crusing for the East Greenwich, R.I. native.
His second World Juniors look resulted in disappointment, with Workforce U.S.A. upset by the Czech Republic within the quarterfinals final week. Berard was anticipated to maneuver up within the lineup and be a go-to offensive participant, however he principally remained within the backside six and went with out an even-strength level in 5 video games.
The lasting reminiscence might be an ejection for a slew foot within the closing sport towards the Czechs, main one supply to seek advice from this month’s efficiency as “a bitter observe” in an in any other case wonderful two-year run.
Honing his aggression and remaining disciplined might be keys transferring ahead, as will sustaining the relentless effort that earned him excessive reward finally yr’s event.
“Consistency is the large factor proper now with Brett and studying to be an offensive menace each evening – studying to play full shifts (and) full video games,” mentioned Nate Leaman, who’s Berard’s head coach at each Windfall and the U.S. World Juniors staff. “His sport has to mature, so far as night-to-night and studying to get keyed on. He can get pissed off at occasions and I believe he must be taught to work by way of that.”
Leaman noticed this tendency through the NCAA season.
“We all the time play back-to-back (days) in faculty, and I observed that if I performed him over 18 minutes, he wasn’t himself the following evening,” he mentioned on Episode 67 of the “New Ice Metropolis” podcast. “He didn’t have the jam that was wanted. I began to again him right down to 17 (minutes) – someplace round there – after which he was capable of be a greater participant the following evening. Because the season wore on, he was getting higher and higher with that.
“A part of it’s bodily, however a part of it’s psychological. A part of it’s studying to do it night-to-night – bringing your finest hockey if you’re not feeling nice or if you’re a little bit bumped up or when your opponent is tough on you.”
Channeling his fiery feelings into on-ice tenacity is an ongoing balancing act. However as Leaman notes, increase his physique to deal with an agitator position is a vital a part of the equation.
Berard is listed at 5-foot-9, 165 kilos, with dimension a continuing critique. He is added greater than 10 kilos since he was drafted, however all events concerned − the Rangers, Leaman and Berard himself − imagine he must get stronger to arrange for turning professional.
“There’s all the time room to enhance their power and conditioning,” Ortmeyer mentioned. “However Brett’s placed on some weight. He’s fairly highly effective for his body and stable on his toes, so that provides him a bonus with how fast he’s and the way he turns and stuff like that – to have that explosion popping out of these turns to make performs.”
Skating and edge work assist him evade larger defenders and win foot races to unfastened pucks, with Berard expressing his need to get even faster by enhancing “my first couple steps.”
The mix of pace and craftiness makes him a menace on the forecheck − “When he’s pressuring pucks and he will get these steals, he’s so fast that he can assault nets rapidly,” Leaman mentioned − and within the offensive zone, with a selected concentrate on working down low and on the web entrance.
“He’s actually good under the purpose line, together with on the facility play,” Leaman mentioned. “He performed on the purpose line for us on the facility play. It was new to him – we hadn’t tried him there as a freshman – however he was simply actually pure down there. He’s good with wraps, he’s good with jams (and) he’s fast in tight areas.”
Leaman compares Berard to a different Hockey East Convention product and present Rangers’ prospect − Bobby Trivigno.
“I believe Brett goes to finish up thicker and stronger than Bobby, however proper now they’re about the identical dimension,” he mentioned. “They each play a high-energy, pesky sport.”
Like Trivigno, Leaman believes that Berard “has an opportunity to be a Hobey Baker candidate and be one of many prime gamers in faculty hockey.” He is dedicated to Windfall for his junior season, telling reporters at Rangers’ improvement camp final month, “There is not any rush to get to the following degree.”
The consensus is that he’ll want at the least one other yr of seasoning − and whereas most imagine he’ll contribute targets on the NHL degree, harnessing his hustle and antagonism to change into a constant thorn in opponents’ sides is considered as his path to success.
“He’s going to be competing for these third- and fourth-line roles,” one scout mentioned. “The best way he skates and the chip he has on his shoulder, it’s going to be enjoyable to observe him in that position of being a pest and a prick to play towards, with some offensive upside, too.”
Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Community. Learn extra of his work at lohud.com/sports activities/rangers/ and observe him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.
