Prospect Info: 2020 NHL Draft 134th Overall Pick, Brett Berard, LW

[LastWordArmy]

Brett Berard was one of the top forwards on the US NTDP Under-18 team this season. He put up 16 goals and 18 assists for 34 points in 41 games. Berard and his US teammates won the U-18 Five Nations Tournament in January and were expected to be top contenders at the IIHF Under-18 World Championships before they were cancelled due to the global pandemic.

Last season Berard played for the NTDP Under-17 squad. He put up six goals and 20 points in 51 games played. Berard also put up two assists in five tournament games at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge. He is committed to playing hockey for the Providence College Friars next season. Should he change his mind, his CHL rights are still up for grabs as he has not been drafted. That likely indicates that teams believe his Providence commitment is pretty firm.

Berard is the son of longtime NCAA head coach David Berard, the longtime Providence coach who is now at Holy Cross. He was also a goalie at Providence. His brother, Brady Berard will play for the US NTDP U-17 team next year and is also committed to go to Providence.

Brett Berard Scouting Report: 2020 NHL Draft #72

Click to read more...

 

[cwede]

DraftAnalyst
"A brilliant playmaker with a nonstop motor and the ability to finish in a variety of ways, Berard plays a lot bigger than his listed measurements....
"Berard has an excellent shot but can score in a variety of ways...

 

[NoQuitInNewMexico]

Send him all the leftover Mats Zuccarello shift-by-shift videos?

 

[SML2]

A coach's kid. Undersized but a hard worker who goes to the net. Nice pick. Can't be mad at picking up NTDP players at this point in the draft.

 

[Polar Bear]

The past two picks have been my favorite since Laffy and Schneider.

 

[Alluckks]

High upside for the draft slot. Also, very late birthday for this draft.

Pronman report:

101. Brett Berard, LW, U.S. NTDP-USHL
Sept. 9, 2002 | 5-foot-9 | 155 pounds

Skating: 55
Puck Skills: 55
Physical Game: 30
Hockey Sense: 60

Berard was a top scorer on the U.S. NTDP. He’s a very smart player offensively who can make high-end plays and create off the perimeter. I was very impressed by his skill level initially, although I felt the offensive consistency wasn’t there in the second half. Berard is competitive, shows no fear in engaging and can irritate the opposition. As a 5-foot-9 player with good but not great speed or skill, it’s fair to ask if he has enough in his toolkit to project into the NHL. His advocates would point out he’s a week away from being 2021 eligible and still had a good season.
Seth Appert, coach of U.S. NTDP U18, on Berard: “He’s crafty, he’s smart. He developed an agitating style to his game. He goes to hard areas.”

 

[DutchNYR]

BB Gun

 

[mike14]

Apparently only just scrapes into being draft eligible this year, one week away from being '21 eligable.

HP had him at 52 and FC 93 - both talk about him needing to get bigger/stronger, and really work on his defensive game; but both also think he could be a good top-9 complimentary player

 

[MysticLeviathan]

good value pick it seems.

 

[egelband]

Corey Millen...?

 

[FireGerardGallant]

I think I like the guys we took in the 5th better then 2nd and 3rd. Anyone knows when Providences season will start?

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Solid pick in the 5th round.

 

[nyr2k2]

This pick I like. He's real skilled.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Wanted him as early as the 3rd, thrilled to get him in the 5th.

 

[NYSPORTS]

First question at rookie/prospect camp

“Can any yutes left wingers willing to give right wing or center a try?”

 

[usekakkorightquinn]

THN had this kid ranked in their top 60 so to get him in the 5th round was a steal.

 

[will1066]

Son of Bryan?

 

[Ghost of jas]

Son of Bryan?

No

 

[One Winged Angel]

I was at work and didn’t even realize they got him. I like this pick a lot.

 

[eco's bones]

He's known as a gamer. Involved all over the ice all the time. This is a good pick.

 

[Rempe73]

A, possibly A+ draft. Would have liked Lapierre instead of Schneider initially, but at this point, I’m happy (though not as excited as I could have been) with Schneider. Anyways, point is, this is so far another A/A+ draft like last year

 

[usekakkorightquinn]

A, possibly A+ draft. Would have liked Lapierre instead of Schneider initially, but at this point, I’m happy (though not as excited as I could have been) with Schneider. Anyways, point is, this is so far another A/A+ draft like last year

That's because like your handle you think players with no physical elements to their game who are soft win playoff series.

 

[Edge]

From a few months ago:

Berard - Excellent skating ability and who keeps the wheels churning. An all-around offensive threat who is a long term project, but a potential steal. This is a kid who can make you look incredibly smart in 3 or 4 years if he pans out.

 

[Dux917]

Compared to Brad Marchand, because of his size and style of play - which would be nice.

Scouting report on him -

Recent draft scouting report on Brett Berard -

" Born just six days before the cut-off for the 2021 NHL Draft, Brett Berard is a crafty, offensive winger with a skillset that allows him to carve through the middle of the ice with consistency. In his second year with the U.S. Development Program, Berard grew to be one of the leaders on the U18 team — finishing third in scoring with 16 goals and 18 assists in 41 games, and a 1.38 points-per-game in USHL action. Both those totals represent big jumps from his time with the program last season, where he finished ninth in team scoring. Berard’s point totals would’ve realistically been higher in 2020 had he not suffered in an injury at the Five Nations Tournament in the Czech Republic; by the time he was healthy again, hockey had come to a full stop.

Here’s what we like about Berard. He’s a smart distributor of the puck, showcasing patience beyond his years to allow for options to open up, and utilizing his agility to weave his slight body around the offensive zone to buy some time. His hockey sense and feet allow him to cover a lot of ice, including for his defenders at the top of the zones when needed, and is primarily used as a puck pursuer on the forecheck as he attempts to force turnovers. Due to his size, he’s better in the pursuit role or supporting the forecheck through his positioning rather than being in the battle; and honestly, it’s a better use of his skills as he can make a quick play with the puck once it’s poked free that other players might not see.

While his size is worrying, especially when he can be bullied off the puck at the USHL level, Berard does what he can to try and play his style of game — an antagonizer — despite it. He’s not scared to challenge bigger defenders by driving the puck into the middle of the ice; to battle opposing players (hence his penalty totals); and to attack the top of the circles to unleash a quick wrist shot.

Berard really benefitted from playing with top 2021 prospect Matthew Beniers this season, as the young centre was relentless on the forecheck and opened up space for Berard to fade into coverage. Sometimes, they were paired with Thomas Bordeleau to form a “Killer B’s” line that buzzed both offensively and defensively. In the 28 games that Pick224 has data for, Berard ranked third on the team among draft-eligible players in both even-strength production and primary points-per-game.

Berard is committed to the Providence Friars, where his mother played field hockey and his dad played goalie. Berard’s father was an assistant coach at Providence for much of Brett’s childhood before becoming the head coach of Holy Cross’ men’s program, and Brett credits him for a lot of his hockey sense, even participating in (non-contact) drills with the Friars when he was 14. Berard’s goal is to carve out an identity similar to fellow 5-foot-9 agitator Brad Marchand, and build strength that allows him to grind or bash around as needed. He’ll have one more year with a talented crop of 2021 players in the NTDP before heading off to college, making Berard a more ‘long-term’ project than other players in this draft. That being said, it’s rare to find top-six upside outside of the first-round, and Berard might still be there in round three for a team willing to take the risk. "

 

[Miamipuck]

A, possibly A+ draft. Would have liked Lapierre instead of Schneider initially, but at this point, I’m happy (though not as excited as I could have been) with Schneider. Anyways, point is, this is so far another A/A+ draft like last year

That's because like your handle you think players with no physical elements to their game who are soft win playoff series.

Lol you talk like you played in the LNAH, watch out Buchnevich.