Brad Berry nears return to hockey coaching world – Grand Forks Herald

GRAND FORKS — Brad Berry is nearing a return to the hockey coaching world.

The Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League are finalizing a deal to make Berry their next head coach, according to two sources.

The Phantoms are looking for a replacement for Ryan Ward, who is expected to work as an assistant at Harvard University.

The Youngstown job quickly drew interest from several veteran coaches, but the Phantoms focused on Berry this weekend.

A deal is expected to be completed next week, barring any unforeseen issues.

Berry, 61, made his mark in the coaching world at UND, where he served as the program’s head coach for 10 years from 2015-15 and had two separate stints as an assistant (2000-06, 2012-15).

Berry led UND to the 2016 NCAA national title in his first season as head coach and won five Penrose Cups in a decade as the National Collegiate Hockey Conference regular-season champion.

He was named the NCHC’s Herb Brooks Coach of the Year four times. He won the Spencer Penrose Award as national coach of the year in 2020.

UND athletic director Bill Chaves fired Berry in March 2025 after the Fighting Hawks missed the NCAA tournament for the second time in three years and the fourth time during his tenure.

UND hired Berry’s top assistant, Dane Jackson, as his successor.

Berry was out of coaching last season while remaining on UND’s payroll. When he was fired, he still had one year left on his contract. The school owed him $493,500 in a buyout.

Jason Wachter / St. Cloud Live

Youngstown has been one of the USHL’s successful teams in recent years.

The Phantoms won the Clark Cup as USHL champions in 2023, defeating Fargo in the final. Last season, they won the Anderson Cup as the USHL’s top regular-season team before losing to Madison in the playoffs.

Three Phantoms players were selected in the 2026 NHL Draft: Jack Hextall, who went to Michigan State, went in the first round (Calgary), UMass goalie Tobias Trejbal went second (Calgary) and Ohio State, Evan Jardine went fourth (Columbus).

Berry played at UND from 1983 to 1986 before embarking on a 13-year professional career that included NHL stints with the Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota North Stars and Dallas Stars.

He began coaching at UND in 2000-01 as an assistant under Dean Blais.

Berry left UND in 2006 to become an assistant coach with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League. Berry also worked as a scout for the Vancouver Canucks and as an assistant coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

He returned to UND in 2012 as an assistant under Dave Hakstol. Berry became head coach after Hakstol left to become head coach of the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers.

Berry never played in the USHL, but his son Bauer played two full seasons for Muskegon. The USHL was a frequent recruiting ground for UND during Berry’s tenure.

Mark Kuhlmann / UND Athletics

By Brad Elliott Schlossman

Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized four times by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the top beat writer for the Herald’s circulation department and twice as North Dakota Sports Writer of the Year. He lives in Grand Forks. Reach him at [email protected].

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