On Sunday, November 25, 2023, Brett Berard didn’t take warmups for the Hartford Wolf Pack against the Bridgeport Islanders. Instead, Berard has been brought up to the New York Rangers.

He’s leading the Wolf Pack in scoring with 13 points (7-6-13). The 22-year-old forward could make his NHL debut on Monday night when the Rangers host the St. Louis Blues. If he does, there’s the possibility that Berard could play with Will Cuylle and Kaapo Kakko on the third line.

That might depend on whether or not Filip Chytil is ready to return to the lineup. Chytil missed the last four games due to an upper-body injury. However, he flew to Calgary and practiced with the team. If he does come back, perhaps Berard could slot in on the fourth line. Sam Carrick has been centering the line with Adam Edstrom and Jimmy Vesey.

If they are ready to give Berard a chance, that’s likely due to how lethargic the Rangers have been. They’ve continued to trend in the wrong direction. Bad starts have seen them badly outshot and fall behind, forcing them to chase the game. A lack of energy has been noticeable. There’s no pushback. They’ve struggled to establish a forecheck and give up the middle of the ice defensively. It’s caused problems for either Igor Shesterkin or Jonathan Quick. A lack of attention to details in the defensive zone have led directly to goals against.

Berard certainly has some speed and grit to his game. He’s a good skater who can add some spunk to a vanilla roster. Aside from Cuylle and Alexis Lafreniere, there aren’t many other forwards who go to the dirty areas. They can use a spark. Maybe Berard can provide it.

Jones To Return

After missing the game at Edmonton, it appears that Zac Jones will return. The Rangers sent down Victor Mancini and Chad Ruhwedel. For the time being, they’ll go with only six defensemen. It probably has to do with cap savings.

Jones has formed a solid partnership with Braden Schneider on the third pair. While Ryan Lindgren and Jacob Trouba have struggled as the second pair, Jones and Schneider have been better together. Maybe they deserve more minutes.

If they’re going to turn it around, they need more consistency from Adam Fox. Despite leading Rangers’ defensemen with 17 assists, his play has been uneven. He continues to look a step slower than we’re accustomed to seeing. Whether it has to do with the knee injury he played through last postseason, it’s hard to say. Fox is counted on heavily. He’s basically the one defenseman they have that can make a significant difference.

Blues Hire Montgomery

The Blues made some headlines when they fired coach Drew Bannister and hired Jim Montgomery on Sunday. Montgomery didn’t last long on the unemployment line. He’ll get the chance to try to turn around St. Louis.

After losing 3-1 against the New York Islanders, that was the final straw for general manager Doug Armstrong. He decided to bring in Montgomery after he was undeservedly fired by the Boston Bruins five days before. He signed a five-year contract with the Blues, landing back on his feet. A former Blues assistant when Craig Berube coached the blue note, Montgomery will look to turn around the league’s 30th ranked offense.

Monday’s game became a lot more interesting.