| David Berard | |
| Current Title: | Head coach |
| Current Team: | Stonehill |
| Current Conference: | Independent |
| Birth Date: | 17 October 1970 |
| Birth Place: | West Warwick, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Alma Mater: | Providence College |
| Player Years1: | 1988–1992 |
| Player Team1: | Providence |
| Player Positions: | Goaltender |
| Coach Years1: | 1992–1994 |
| Coach Team1: | Colby (Assistant) |
| Coach Years2: | 1994–1996 |
| Coach Team2: | Providence (Assistant) |
| Coach Years3: | 1996–1998 |
| Coach Team3: | Lake Superior State (Assistant) |
| Coach Years4: | 1998–2011 |
| Coach Team4: | Providence (Assistant) |
| Coach Years5: | 2011–2012 |
| Coach Team5: | Connecticut (Assistant) |
| Coach Years6: | 2012–2013 |
| Coach Team6: | Connecticut (Interim) |
| Admin Years1: | 2013–2014 |
| Admin Team1: | Providence (Dir. of Hockey Ops.) |
| Coach Years7: | 2014–2021 |
| Coach Team7: | Holy Cross |
| Admin Years2: | 2021–2024 |
| Admin Team2: | Providence (Vice President) |
| Coach Years8: | 2024–Present |
| Coach Team8: | Stonehill |
| Overall Record: | 103–116–37 |
David Berard (born October 17, 1970) is the current head coach for the Stonehill Skyhawks men's ice hockey team.[1]
Berard started his college career as a goaltender for Providence in 1988. He spent four years as a backup for the Friars, playing in only 5 games before graduating with a degree in business marketing.[2] He remained at the college level by taking an assistant coaching position with Colby, staying with the program for two years before returning to his alma mater. Berard was an assistant for the Friars for two more seasons and accepted a similar post from Lake Superior State starting in 1996. Two years later he was back in Providence for a third time but decided to remain with the Friars for an extended period. From 1998 through 2011 he was an assistant coach under Paul Pooley and Tim Army, but he also served as the teams recruiting coordinator for seven seasons, was promoted to an associate coach from 2003 through 2005 and was USA Hockey's director of player development for the New England region from 2003 to 2008.
When Tim Army was replaced by Nate Leaman in 2011, Berard was replaced[3] and he became an assistant with Connecticut. In just over a year, he suddenly found himself as the interim head coach for the Huskies when Bruce Marshall took a medical leave of absence.[4] Berard remained behind the bench for Connecticut for the remainder of the season, compiling a record of 19–10–3 and getting the Huskies into a 3rd place finish in the conference. His efforts were not enough, however, and Connecticut opted to name Mike Cavanaugh as the bench boss for the next season.[5]
Berard found himself back with the Friars yet again the next season as the Director of Hockey Operations but after only one year at that post he left to receive his first full-time head coaching post with Holy Cross.[6] In his short time with the Crusaders Berard has seen a moderate amount of success, recording three consecutive double-digit win seasons but only one of them was above .500.
Berard's son Brett Berard is an ice hockey forward for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL as a prospect of the for the New York Rangers.[7] [8] He previously played for the Providence Friars men's ice hockey team.[8] [9] Brett was drafted by the Rangers in the 5th round (134th overall) of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.[9] Brett won a gold medal with the United States men's national junior ice hockey team at the 2021 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[9] [10]
Berard's youngest son, Brady, is a forward for Boston College.[8] [11]
† Berard assumed head coaching duties on November 6, 2012