Rangers turning to Brett Berard in hopes of shock to system after disappointing road trip
NY Post
The Rangers had already been back home for a relatively full night’s sleep when Brett Berard was announced as a healthy scratch ahead of the AHL Wolf Pack’s 4 p.m. Sunday game against the Bridgeport Islanders in Hartford, Conn.
Indeed, the 22-year-old was on his way to New York on his first official Rangers call-up in the wake of a disconcerting end to the varsity club’s four-game trip.
It appears as though the Blueshirts are turning to their AHL affiliate’s leading scorer to provide a shock to the system.
The Rangers presumably would not recall Berard unless there were intention to play him. Just like they wouldn’t have shipped Victor Mancini across the country if he wasn’t going to replace an injured Zac Jones against the Oilers on Saturday night.
Mancini, by the way, was returned along with Chad Ruhwedel to Hartford in a subsequent move. It is a good sign for Jones, but to have Mancini fly out for just one game instead of playing Ruhwedel, who was already on the trip, was a telling decision — especially if only to return Mancini the next day.
It was all very indicative of head coach Peter Laviolette’s evaluation of his blue line.
Last spring’s ultimate defeat, coming on top of a quite similar one 24 months earlier, should have proved once and for all that the Rangers’ skill game, impressive at it at may be in spurts, does not overcome their physicality deficiency at the final-four level.
Jon Berti, who started three postseason games at first base for the Yankees when Anthony Rizzo was out with fractured fingers, was non-tendered by the team prior to Friday’s deadline, as was left-hander Tim Mayza.
CALGARY, Alberta — The Rangers needed just 16 seconds to get back into a game they had no business being in over halfway through.
There won’t be much drama regarding the announcement of the American League MVP award Thursday with Aaron Judge set to capture the award for the second time in three years.
One man is already seemingly trying to get his foot in the door to become the next head coach of the Jets.
PHOENIX — You think of Tom Thibodeau, you think of defense.
It feels right that on the day we celebrate Aaron Judge joining an elite pantheon of athlete — the multi-time winner of the Most Valuable Player award — that we take a walk back to the beginning, when Judge was little more than a 6-foot-7, 280-pound curiosity who mostly specialized in striking out.
The NFL has warned its players to take precautions against a “transnational crime ring” that is suspected of orchestrating a number of break-ins of athletes’ homes including Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
Joel Embiid isn’t pleased with details of the 76ers’ team meeting after Monday’s loss being leaked, telling reporters after Wednesday’s road loss to the Grizzlies, “whoever leaked that is a real piece of s–t.”
PHOENIX — Jalen Brunson didn’t want to comment on the NBA looking into his father’s promotion and contract as a potential salary-cap circumvention, but the point guard certainly had a message to anybody questioning Rick Brunson’s coaching credentials.
