BERARD, OTHMANN AND SYKORA REFLECT ON FIRST PRO SEASONS

Brett Berard, Brennan Othmann and Adam Sykora, each wrapped up their respective first seasons of professional hockey spent with the Rangers’ AHL affiliate the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Following a berth to the Division Finals in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs which ended mid-May, the trio were subsequently asked by Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury and the player development staff to attend Development Camp this year to provide both leadership and insight on what it means to be a member of the Rangers organization to the newcomers.

“Coming here, you feel more comfortable with the staff and players,” Berard said. “It’s a lot of fun. Just try to bring that to the younger guys coming in and try to help them build their confidence. Every time you put on the Rangers jersey, it’s special. So, I’m thankful to be here.”

After completing three seasons of Division l hockey at Providence College, Berard made the decision to go pro. Known for his high-octane offense, the 21-year-old left winger translated his high-production to the AHL. The 2020 Fifth Rounder (134th overall) led the Wolf Pack in scoring with 25 goals (48 points) through 71 regular season games.

While he was proud of his offensive output as a first-year pro, the Providence native noted the growth he took in the defensive aspects of his game and how he hopes to continue fostering those this summer and throughout his sophomore season.

“A big overall part of my game is just the defensive side,” Berard said. “It’s always something I’m trying to get better at. This year, I got better at it. I started playing on the [penalty kill], which was new for me. As the year went on, it felt more and more comfortable. From a game standpoint, that’s something I’m still trying to work on.”

Othmann joined Berard in deploying his high-production style throughout his first year of pro hockey at Hartford. The 21-year-old winger notched 21 goals and 49 points over 71 regular season games. He also earned the opportunity to make his NHL debut with the Rangers and a subsequent brief stint in early January.

Like Berard, Othmann echoed the importance of developing the defensive side of his game.

“From Game 1 to the last game of the season, [the Hartford staff] kept telling me that they saw big strides from my development [in the d-zone],” Othmann said. “Any time you hear that it’s always a compliment. It’s always a confidence builder, being able to score and put up points, but if you can’t do the other stuff, you may not cut it. I’m just learning that [the defensive details] are the most important thing.”