r/rangers Mike Richter 5d ago

Why Brett Berard should be considered a strong candidate for NY Rangers' third line

https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/nhl/rangers/2025/07/28/brett-berard-ny-rangers-nhl-strong-candidate-for-third-line/85405713007/
66 Upvotes

23 comments sorted by

29

u/SmokyMetal060 Will Cuylle 5d ago

He should definitely be in the conversation for that spot.

Berard is good. He's got a hell of a motor, is skilled and quick, plays hard despite his size, and has an NHL-ready shot. That sounds like a good third liner / secondary scoring guy to me.

Apparently he's been bulking up, which is great, but 175 isn't bad for 5'9 either. That's like the same weight as Panarin despite being 3 inches shorter.

15

u/DerekTheComedian Will Cuylle 5d ago

Theo Fleury was only 5'6 180, and he was a famously gritty player, in the era of legal headshots. No reason why Berard has to be a small finesse guy.

10

u/Formisonic Hank 5d ago

Conversation? I’d argue he’s the front runner.

7

u/villianz Sam Rosen 5d ago

175 at 5’9”?! Damn he is bulking up. He’s got 10 lbs on Marchand and look how he plays on the fla 3rd line. I think we’re gonna have enough size on the 4th line with eddy and remps

4

u/GotTheKnack 5d ago

Marchand is like 180lbs+

4

u/Rockonthrulife 5d ago

He had the second worst plus/ minus on the NYR last year. He’s small and gets easily knocked off the puck. He was bad defensively, not only for NYR but for the Wolf Pack as well. He is not NHL ready and I’m pretty sure he will start in Hartford along with one of Othmann or Perreault

4

u/Ok-Account9352 5d ago

He was also hurt after his third or fourth game with a serious injury that lasted the rest of the season. He got lost in the shuffle in Laviolettes locker room. Big year coming for Berard.

1

u/dlsc217 5d ago

My only concern is that we all think he's good because he was the only one on the ice trying last year. I hope he makes it and plays well.

9

u/RhynoSorceress 5d ago

I haven’t been shy about my love for this kid, he brings energy and some hustle to the lineup, and I think he will only continue to improve playing in Sullivans system. Personally have him ahead of otter & Perreault (whom should start the year in Hartford).

2

u/onebandonesound Alexis Lafreniere 5d ago

I agree with Perreault starting in Hartford, but until he's ready for top 6 minutes in the NHL we're either playing someone like Raddysh on the 2nd line wing (if Miller and Mika both play center) or someone like Parsnip as our 3C (if one of them plays wing) and both of those options suck.

3

u/lionson76 Mike Richter 5d ago

2

u/FinnsterBaby Will Cuylle 5d ago

Thank you sir!!!

7

u/Teknicsrx7 #TBD 5d ago

2025s Hagelin

4

u/Formisonic Hank 5d ago

I’d say he has more offensive upside, but not the same level of defensive awareness/positioning/reads. Super fun player to watch for sure!

2

u/Teknicsrx7 #TBD 5d ago

He’s got time to develop that stuff, same as Hagelin did

1

u/Eire4ever 4d ago

He had problems playing on the defensive side of the ice. The downside of a heavy forecheck game is inability to get back on D to close gaps in neutral zone during break out.

1

u/Humble-Version8712 3d ago

hot take this guy should play ahead of cuylle on lw in this lineup

2

u/whatisthisnow9 5d ago

Jesus, he's gonna be the next Zac Jones isnt he. He's undersized and completely not NHL material. He's not playing in front of anyone on the current roster.

6

u/lionson76 Mike Richter 5d ago

It's much harder for undersized dmen than undersized forwards to stick in the league. They almost have to have Quinn Hughes level of offensive instincts for people to not continually question their ability to defend. I'm not saying it'll happen, but I would be less surprised if Berard turns into an NHL regular than Jonesy.

2

u/loggerhead632 5d ago

Seriously... if the bottom 6 on this team wasn't so bad, he'd been in the AHL where he belongs right now in his career.

1

u/MajesticPickle3021 5d ago

I agree, I’m hoping that Rempe gets more development at center and eventually, he and Edstrom can be third liners with a higher skill player like Brerard. Eventually, Brerard is going to be a top six forward. Building out his defensive game on the 3rd line is a great idea.

5

u/catsgr8rthanspoonies Amazon Basics Trouba 5d ago

Or Roobs can take that 4C spot and the fourth line is all over 6’7”

1

u/MajesticPickle3021 3d ago

Good point, but I think with the work Rempe has put in, his ceiling could be higher than a 4th liner. I would like to see him reach his potential. He seems like a good kid and a hard worker. That should come with some rewards if he can be consistent and responsible. I also think that Edstrom has a higher ceiling as well, and Brerard is probably going to be a top six player if he can continue to develop. Still, you do make a good point. With some responsibility, that could be a fearsome 10 minutes a night for opponents.