BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 30: David Pastrnak #88 of the Boston Bruins celebrates with Brandon Carlo #25 after scoring a goal against the Florida Panthers during the third period in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 30, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The New York Rangers play their first preseason game on Sunday as they visit the Boston Bruins at TD Garden. While the first group of players to see game action will include a few regulars as well as a number of young players looking to make an impression, highly touted prospect Brett Berard will have to wait a while longer for some game action.
Berard did take part in the Rangers’ morning scrimmage, held at their practice facility in Tarrytown, New York, for the players who did not make the trip to Boston.
“I thought it was good,” coach Peter Laviolette said after the scrimmage. “I guess the objective and the idea was that everybody could play today. We have the one exhibition game, and not everybody can play. We’re not sending everybody to Boston, but this gave us a chance to look at each other against each other and mix up the lines a little bit, watch guys that are trying to make an impact do it against NHL players, an NHL lineup.”
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Berard waiting for ‘opportunity to show what he can do’
Berard is one of those players trying to make an impact. Last season was a great step in his development, as he was one of the offensive leaders with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the Rangers’ affiliate in the American Hockey League. In his first pro season, Berard scored 25 goals and finished with 48 points; he was second in goals and fifth in points among AHL rookies.
The 22-year-old is now battling to earn a roster spot with the big club.
“He’s a worker, he’s a competitor, he competes in battles, he plays with a lot of juice,” Laviolette said of the former Providence College forward. “He did have a really good year last year offensively and became somebody last year that (Hartford was) counting on as the season wound down. I think he had a good year. Coming into camp this year, I think he’s looking to make an impression, so when he does get an opportunity he’ll have that opportunity to show what he can do. We’ll put him in the right situations to do that.”
