When Kent Hughes acquired Berard from the New York Rangers in exchange for William Trudeau, it was barely noticed.
Part of what makes it fascinating is that.
Montreal didn’t include a headline item. The Canadiens enhanced the competitiveness of camp by bringing on a player who has a chance to compete for a spot at the bottom of the roster.
His game is not based on size, and Berard is a left winger.
At 5-foot-9, the 23-year-old Providence native has a lot of speed, ferocity, and the kind of advantage that can quickly appear on a third or fourth line.
The whole narrative isn’t revealed by his physique. His pressure play does.
Brett Berard is a good match for Montreal’s requirements.
Berard has previously played in the NHL, which is important when a club is reviewing depth possibilities.
This is not a pure project entering his debut real look, as he has 10 points in 48 career NHL games, all with the Rangers.
He has continued to develop the same persona in most of his recent work in the American Hockey League.
He recorded 22 points in 41 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack this year, and that output provides Montreal with more than just effort.
Role fit is the larger draw.
Berard appears to be the kind of winger who can withstand difficult minutes, maintain his engagement on the forecheck, and prevent a bottom-six line from becoming flat over a lengthy period of the season.
When the agreement takes place, that sort of player doesn’t always attract notice.
However, trainers depend on those skaters. when the road trip gets lengthy, the schedule is tight, or the bench needs additional jump from the lower lines.
Martin St-Louis receives an additional forward who should be eager for ice time, and that may rapidly alter the tone of a training camp.
Nothing is certain for Berard with a new environment.
Still, at a low cost, Kent Hughes may have discovered a helpful depth winger who has a legitimate chance to stay and assist the Canadiens in significant minutes.
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