Brett Berard Bio
Brett Berard (born September 9, 2002) is an American professional ice hockey forward who plays for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect of the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Drafted by the Rangers in the fifth round, 134th overall, of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Berard has steadily climbed the organization’s depth chart through hard work and consistency. A gold medalist with the United States men’s national junior team at the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, he has become one of the more intriguing young forwards in the Rangers’ system.
Standing 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing roughly 175 pounds, Berard relies on speed, grit, and tenacity rather than size to make an impact on the ice. His relentless style has earned him a reputation as a difficult opponent, and his development has placed him on the cusp of a full-time NHL role.
Early Life and Background
Brett Berard was born on September 9, 2002, in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. He grew up in a hockey family, which gave him early and constant exposure to the sport. His father, David Berard, served as an assistant coach at Providence College when Brett was still a toddler, surrounding the young player with the rhythms of competitive hockey from an early age.
That environment shaped Berard’s competitive edge. He and his brother, Brady Berard, also a hockey player who went on to skate for Providence and later Boston College, pushed each other in backyard and rink settings throughout their childhood. The brothers remained competitive growing up, and that sibling rivalry helped sharpen Brett’s drive and tenacious style of play.
Path to Hockey
Berard developed through the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, the well-known American pipeline that grooms top amateur talent for professional and international hockey. His play in the program caught the attention of NHL scouts, and the New York Rangers selected him in the fifth round, 134th overall, of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
Following the draft, Berard committed to Providence College, where he played three seasons of NCAA hockey for the Providence Friars from 2020-21 through 2022-23. He was also named to the United States men’s national junior ice hockey team for the 2021 and 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. As the second-youngest member of the 2021 squad, he helped the United States capture the gold medal, a signature early achievement that announced his arrival on the national stage.
Brett Berard Career
Early Career (2020-2023)
Berard’s early professional development centered on his three seasons with the Providence Friars. There, he worked to translate the speed and aggression he had shown in the USNTDP into the more physical college game, building a foundation as a reliable two-way forward.
Before the 2022-23 season, Journal News reporter Vincent Z. Mercogliano rated Berard as the Rangers’ sixth-best prospect, a sign of his growing standing within the organization. After that Providence campaign, Berard signed his first NHL contract with the Rangers and made his AHL debut with the Hartford Wolf Pack, appearing in three games to close out the 2022-23 season.
Hartford Wolf Pack Breakthrough (2023-2025)
In 2023-24, Berard played a full season for the Hartford Wolf Pack and delivered an impressive rookie year at the AHL level. He led Hartford in goals with 25 and finished third on the team in points with 48, while also placing third among all AHL rookies in goals. The performance marked a clear step forward in his development.
Heading into 2024-25, prospect evaluators took notice. Mercogliano ranked Berard as the Rangers’ fourth-best prospect, behind only first-round picks EJ Emery, Brennan Othmann, and Gabe Perreault. McKeen’s Hockey also rated him fourth in the system, highlighting his aggressive forechecking, penalty killing, and net-front battles. Despite the strong reviews, Berard revealed after the season that he had played through a torn labrum, underscoring the toughness that has defined his career.
New York Rangers Era (2024-Present)
Berard had a strong training camp with the Rangers and was one of the club’s final cuts before the start of the 2024-25 regular season. He returned to Hartford and produced at a rapid pace, recording 7 goals and 6 assists in his first 16 games. That performance earned him a recall to the NHL on November 24, 2024.
He made his NHL debut on November 25, 2024, against the St. Louis Blues, registering an assist in the game. Two nights later, on November 27 against the Carolina Hurricanes, Berard scored his first NHL goal, a memorable milestone in his young career. He was the Rangers’ last cut before the 2025-26 season and was again recalled on November 23, 2025, reinforcing his place on the cusp of a full-time NHL role.
Driving Style and Strengths
Berard is widely viewed as a player who turns his smaller frame into a strength. He is an exceptionally fast skater with a quick shot release, traits he sharpened during the 2023-24 season. He forechecks aggressively, kills penalties, and battles for pucks in high-traffic areas, using a low center of gravity to win leverage in tight spaces. An NHL scout described him as a nightmare to play against, and Berard himself embraces his size, saying he likes to use it to escape bigger opponents and to win races into corners.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Berard’s signature moments are his gold medal with the United States at the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, his 25-goal AHL rookie season with Hartford in 2023-24, and his first NHL goal against the Carolina Hurricanes on November 27, 2024. His repeated late-preseason cuts and quick recalls by the Rangers have also become a recurring storyline, illustrating how close he remains to a full-time NHL role.
Brett Berard Career Wins
While Berard is still in the early stages of his professional career, he has already collected meaningful victories at multiple levels. His international triumph with the United States at the 2021 World Junior Championships stands as his most prestigious title to date, and he has added consistent regular-season production as a pro.
International and AHL Highlights
Berard captured a gold medal with the United States at the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships as the second-youngest member of the squad, a performance that helped establish his international credentials. He returned to the U.S. junior team in 2022, when the Americans were upset by the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals. At the AHL level, his 25-goal rookie campaign with Hartford in 2023-24 highlighted his finishing ability and finished third among AHL rookies in goals.
Berard was also selected to represent the United States at the 2025 Men’s Ice Hockey World Championships, another marker of his rising profile on the national stage.
Other Performances
Berard delivered a strong showing at the 2024 NHL training camp, where he was one of the Rangers’ final cuts. That preseason performance helped fuel his early-season production with Hartford and ultimately led to his first NHL stint later that fall.
Brett Berard Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Hockey runs deep in the Berard family. Brett’s father, David Berard, worked as an assistant coach at Providence College, giving Brett an early connection to the college program where he would later star.
Personal Life
Berard’s brother, Brady Berard, has also pursued a hockey career, playing for Providence and later the Boston College Eagles. The two brothers grew up competing against each other, an experience that helped shape Brett’s combative, hard-driving approach to the game.
2025 Season Performance
Berard’s 2025 calendar has been defined by his ongoing push for a full-time NHL role. After recovering from a torn labrum that he played through in 2024-25, he arrived at Rangers training camp and was the club’s last cut before the 2025-26 regular season. That decision reflected how close he remained to a roster spot.
Assigned again to the Hartford Wolf Pack, Berard continued to produce offensively, prompting the Rangers to recall him on November 23, 2025. His combination of speed, penalty killing, and net-front work has made him a frequent option for the parent club whenever injuries or performance issues open a roster spot.
Looking ahead, Berard’s outlook remains promising. With his blend of grit, skating, and finishing ability, he is widely viewed as a forward on the verge of establishing himself in the NHL, provided he can stay healthy and maintain his trademark intensity.