A Slow Week in Rangers Land As Summer Wears On

A relatively slow week in Rangersland, which is not surprising as we approach the end of July. At the Shoulder Check game, a Rangers prospect provided insight on the injury that ended his 2024-25 season. In addition, a player with substantive history was signed to a PTO.

Brett Berard: Torn Labrum

Brett Berard, who played in the Shoulder Check game, revealed he tore his labrum in his shoulder during his fourth NHL game last season (November 30 against Montreal), which lingered throughout the remainder of the 2024-25 campaign before forcing him to withdraw from Team USA at the 2025 World Championship. Berard played the remainder of the season in a harness, largely because he didn’t want to “blow” his shot at playing in the NHL, so he played through the injury, somewhat limiting his effectiveness.

Berard, selected 134 overall in 2020, did not require surgery to repair the labrum. Obviously the hope is that the time off and strengthening he did on the shoulder and surrounding area will be sufficient. Berard expects to be 100 percent ready to go for training camp. He will be in a battle for a roster spot with Gabriel Perreault, Brennan Othmann and others. Berard fits the bill of a solid bottom-sxi forward who can chip in offensively while playing a physical brand of hockey.

#NYR Brett Berard said he tore his labrum in his shoulder during the season, which lingered and forced him to pull out of Worlds this offseason.

Surgery wasn’t needed, he’ll be ready for training camp. pic.twitter.com/NfzapTwwpg

— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) July 24, 2025

Conor Sheary Signs PTO with the Rangers

We are in the professional tryout season with most teams having which free agents they want to ink to “guaranteed” deals. Conor Sheary, who won two Stanley Cups under new Blueshirts head coach Mike Sullivan in Pittsburgh, is trying to work his way back to the NHL. He spent most of the 2024-25 campaign with the Tampa Bay Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.

Sheary will receive an opportunity to fill a botom-six role. He has an uphill battle given the myriad of options the Rangers have for the spots while the fourth line should be Adam Estrom-Sam Carrick-Matt Rempe. If Sheary fails to earn a spot, he would provide solid veteran leadership at Hartford in the AHL.

Rangers have signed Conor Sheary to a PTO. He was on Mike Sullivan’s Cup-winning teams in Pittsburgh. He’ll be a depth forward option if he makes the team.

— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) July 25, 2025