Two players with familiar Rangers bloodlines skated in the Rookie Series over the weekend, and both had their own reasons to stand out in Flyers colors.
Brady Berard and KJ Sauer each carry a name that should ring a bell for New York fans. Berard is the younger brother of former Rangers forward Brett Berard, while Sauer is the nephew of Michael Sauer, the former Blueshirts defenseman who spent parts of three seasons in New York.
Brady Berard is 22, two years younger than Brett, and his path has echoed his brother’s in a few ways. He spent two years at Providence and two more at Boston College, just as Brett went through three years at Providence before leaving for the pros after his junior season.
Brett was a fifth-round pick by the Rangers in the 2020 NHL Draft, while Brady went undrafted despite scoring five goals as a senior at BC. The older Berard made it to 48 NHL games across two seasons with the Rangers and put up 10 points, including six goals and four assists.
He was held without a point in 13 games last season before New York dealt him to the Montreal Canadiens this offseason.
Brady was in the Flyers’ lineup Sunday after sitting out Saturday, and he’s signed to a minor league contract with Lehigh Valley of the AHL for this coming season. He also lined up against former Boston College teammate Drew Fortescue of the Rangers this weekend, and the two were seen talking on the ice during several stoppages.
Sauer, meanwhile, brought a different kind of presence to the ice. The 18-year-old, a 6-foot-3 forward, played both games for the Flyers after Philadelphia took him in the fifth round, No. 136 overall, in this year’s draft.
He looked every bit like the physical force his numbers suggested, coming off a year that included 30 penalty minutes in five USHL games and another 42 in 15 high school games. That season was delayed at the start after PCL surgery.
He’ll play for Edmonton in the WHL this season.
His uncle’s NHL story is a reminder of how quickly things can change. Michael Sauer was a second-round pick by the Rangers in 2005 and became one of their top prospects, earning coach John Tortorella’s trust as a rookie in 2010-11.
Then came the hit from Dion Phaneuf on Dec. 5, 2011, a concussion that ended his career after 98 NHL games. It’s a harsh backdrop to a family name that still carries weight.
The Rangers also had their own Rookie Series notes from Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Flyers, including a strong performance from goaltender Danai Shaiikov, a 2026 third-round pick, and Liam Greentree’s first goal in a Rangers sweater. Greentree and Fortescue also spoke after New York’s 3-2 loss on Saturday, with those comments appearing in the Rangers prospects notebook.
On the NHL side, Marty St. Louis got a multi-year extension to stay on as coach of the Montreal Canadiens after leading them to the Eastern Conference Final this past spring and finishing second for the 2025-26 Jack Adams Award.
There was also a Canadiens angle involving another former Ranger. Marc Dumont noted that if Carey Price can forgive Chris Kreider for the goal-crease collision that knocked the Hall of Fame goalie out of the 2014 Eastern Conference Final, Canadiens fans can move on too now that Kreider has joined Montreal on a one-year contract.
Elsewhere, former Rangers defenseman Carson Soucy landed a PTO with the Metropolitan Division rival Columbus Blue Jackets and could have a real chance to earn a contract and roster spot by opening night. The Islanders named Bo Horvat captain, taking over for Anders Lee after Lee signed with the Utah Mammoth in free agency.
In New Jersey, James Nichols sorted through the Devils’ 5-4 rookie game loss to the Islanders, pointing out which prospects stood out and which struggled. And in Toronto, John Chayka said he understands the fans’ passion and feels a “real obligation” to build a consistent winner with the Maple Leafs now that he’s their general manager.
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Former Rangers Defenseman Just Landed In An Awkward Metro Spot
Carson Soucy is headed to a familiar corner of the Metro, this time on a professional tryout with the Columbus Blue Jackets as he prepares for another training camp look. A veteran of seven NHL seasons, Soucy spent last season bouncing between the Rangers and Islanders, and now hell try to turn a PTO into a roster spot in Columbus.
For the Blue Jackets, the fit is fairly straightforward: Soucy is expected to compete for work on the third defensive pair or as the seventh defenseman. For the Rangers, it is another reminder of how quickly the defense market can shift within the division, especially when a player with Soucys experience is still in the mix and still looking for a landing spot. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Rookie Weekend Raised One Big Question About Their Young Talent
Liam Greentree got one of the weekends few bright spots for the Rangers prospects in Allentown, scoring his first goal in a New York sweater during a 4-1 loss to the Flyers at PPL Center. The rookie series had already tilted Philadelphias way after a 3-2 result on Saturday, and the two-game sweep left the Rangers looking for more finish and more consistency from a young group that had stretches of promise but not enough to change the outcome.
Danai Shaiikov gave them a chance to hang around in goal, turning in a solid outing with several key stops even as the Flyers kept the pressure on. For a weekend meant to sort through the organizations young talent, Greentrees breakthrough and Shaiikovs work in net offered some encouraging pieces, but the bigger question remains how many of those flashes can carry over once the games start counting for real. [Read more 🡒]
Cole Beaudoin Just Turned Into A Real Rangers Camp Battle
Cole Beaudoin is one of the more intriguing young names around Rangers camp this fall, a player arriving with a fresh start and a clear goal. Acquired from Utah in a July 1 trade tied to Vincent Trocheck, Beaudoin is still at the point where every practice and preseason shift matters, especially as he prepares to launch his pro career after two seasons with the Barrie Colts in the OHL.
For the Rangers, the question is less about whether Beaudoin has long-term potential and more about where he fits right now in a crowded competition. He is trying to win an NHL job out of camp, but the more realistic path may begin with Hartford in the AHL, where he would get the kind of minutes and development time that are hard to guarantee at the big-league level. [Read more 🡒]