New York Rangers sign Brett Berard to three-year, entry-level contract

New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury announced Tuesday that the club has signed forward Brett Berard to a three-year, entry-level contract. The contract will begin in the 2023-24 season. He will have a salary of $925,000 at the NHL level and a minor league salary of $80,000. 

The East Greenwich, Rhode Island product was drafted in the fifth round (No. 134) of the 2020 NHL Draft. Berard has played the last three seasons with Providence College in the NCAA. As a freshman, he notched five goals and five assists in 19 games. Last season, he led the Friars with 18 goals and 38 points, his eight power-play goals were the most in the Hockey East division. He was named a Walter Brown Award semi-finalist, which is awarded to the best American Born Division-I college hockey player in the New England area. This past season, he registered 10 goals and 14 assists for 24 points in 36 games and was ranked third in goals and second in points among the team. he was named to the NCAA (Hockey East) Third All-Star Team.

The 20-year-old has also competed for the United States at the two World Junior Hockey Championships. In 2021, Berard was a part of the gold medal-winning U.S. team with the likes of Trevor Zegras, Matt Boldy, and Matty Beniers. He notched one goal and four assists with a plus-8 rating. During the 2021-22 tournament, he recorded one goal in five games and 29 penalty minutes. Prior to college, Berard played for the U.S. National U18 Team part of the United States National Team Development Program (USNTDP) where he registered 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists) in 41 games. Berard will join the Rangers’ American Hockey league (AHL) affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.