What’s next for Rangers after Brett Berard, Dylan Garand recalled from AHL
In the midst of their longest losing streak of the season, the New York Rangers recalled prospects Brett Berard and Dylan Garand from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Sunday.
To make room on the active roster, the Rangers assigned rookie defenseman Scott Morrow to Hartford and placed defenseman Will Borgen on injured reserve. That leaves the Rangers with 14 forwards, six defensemen, and three goalies on the current 23-man roster.
The additions of Berard and Garand are likely precautionary since J.T. Miller is day to day with an upper-body injury and Jonathan Quick was banged up late in their 3-2 loss to the Utah Mammoth on Saturday.
Garand could back up Igor Shesterkin when the Rangers host the St. Louis Blues on Monday if Quick is not healthy. The 39-year-old goalie made 31 saves and was terrific again Saturday, but appeared to favor his right leg after Utah forward Michael Carcone crashed into him, following a hit by backchecking Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson. Quick finished the game, but Garand’s recall may not be a good sign for the veteran’s availability.
Miller was hurt in New York’s 6-3 loss Thursday against the Colorado Avalanche after an accidental collision during a penalty kill. The Rangers captain was shaken up, but remained in the game and scored his second power-play goal of the night later in the third period.
Borgen’s missed the past two games, and four of the past five, with an upper-body injury.
Rangers plans following recalls of Brett Berard, Dylan Garand from Hartford amid injury concerns
Where Garand is in New York amid concern over Quick’s health status, Berard may have been called up to spark the Rangers lineup. Even if Miller plays Monday, Berard could add juice in the bottom six, as he often did playing 35 games with the Rangers last season, when he scored six goals and totaled 10 points. His boundless energy, speed, and fearless play style are attributes the Rangers, losers of four straight, can use right now.
If Miller doesn’t play, the Rangers don’t have to insert Berard into the lineup. They could simply run it back with Jonny Brodzinski in the top six and Juuso Parssinen in the bottom six. But considering how the Rangers looked slow and not as hungry against the Mammoth, it makes all the sense to play Berard now that he’s called up.
The 23-year-old forward started slowly in the AHL this season, perhaps disappointed he failed to crack New York’s opening-night roster. Berard, who led Hartford with 25 goals in 2023-24, went 14 games without scoring one to start this season, and was pointless in his first five games. But he scored two goals in his past three games, and is tied for the Hartford lead with seven assists this season, and ranks fourth with nine points in 14 games.
“My first few games, I don’t think I was at my best, getting sent down late (final cuts of training camp) … the last few weeks, I feel like I’ve started to find my game and my stride,” Berard said this past week.
In addition, Berard likely feels he’s got something to prove since fellow forward prospects Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault each was recalled from Hartford before he was this season.
Garand, an AHL All-Star last season when he won 20 games, allowed three goals in the third period Saturday, when Hartford let a 2-0 lead slip away in a 3-2 loss to Lehigh Valley. The 23-year-old is 3-6-2 in 11 starts, with a 2.96 goals-against average and .897 save percentage. He’s backed up Shesterkin before but hasn’t appeared in an NHL game yet.
Should Garand be required to be in New York for a stretch of games, Hartford has two options to replace him between the pipes. Callum Tung looked sharp winning two starts this past week after the 22-year-old moved up from Bloomington of the ECHL. And the Rangers signed veteran Spencer Martin recently, after he played earlier this season with the KHL in Russia.
