Brett Berard’s Shoulder Injury Update

Brett Berard shared that he injured his shoulder during his fourth NHL game last season, an issue that lingered for the rest of the 2024-25 season. This ultimately led to his withdrawal from Team USA for the 2025 World Championship.

“It happened on November 30,” the 22-year-old said Thursday while at a shoulder check showcase in Stamford, Connecticut. “It feels good now, really strong. I’m just working to get everything back to normal.”

Fortunately, surgery wasn’t necessary, and Berard anticipates being fully ready for training camp.

This injury marked a significant moment for Berard, as it was his first call-up since being drafted 134th overall by the Rangers in 2020. After the injury, he only missed three games before making a return to the ice.

“It was just one of those weird hits—it didn’t feel great at all,” he reflected. Berard played 35 games for the Rangers last season. “I was out for about a week, but you know, this is the NHL. You work your whole life for opportunities like this.”

As was noted in a previous report, Berard withdrew from the international tournament close to the deadline, citing physical limits at the time.

He had committed to joining the team, skating just a couple of times, but ultimately his shoulders weren’t in a good place.

When he recognized that there wasn’t enough time for recovery, he made the difficult choice to step back from the tournament.

Despite the setback, the injury didn’t interfere with his training during the offseason.

“I’m feeling sturdy,” he said. “I was really cheering for the team. It was awesome to see them take home gold—it had been a long time for them.”