"That's when I got to go on the ice and practice with the team," said Brett, who will play at Providence in the fall. "There was no contact, of course, but I was able to skate some of the drills with them."
Playing with bigger, faster players was an obvious help to young Brett's skills, but his immersion in his dad's program also gave him a hockey IQ well beyond his years.
"Being a coach's son meant he came to the NTDP with a solid understanding about how to play the game of hockey," coach Seth Appert said.
Though Berard's parents have been a boon to his career, there's one challenge he's had to face on his own, overcoming his diminutive stature. He didn't have far to look for a role model.
"As an undersized guy, I'm trying to play like (5-9, 181-pound Boston Bruins forward) Brad Marchand," he said. "He doesn't take anything from anyone, no matter how big they are, and he's a great offensive player."