Bryan Berard

Lore & Background

Berard was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. He began his junior career playing for Mount St. Charles Academy in Rhode Island. He won three championships with the school before departing after his third year. Berard had offers from Boston College, the University of Maine, and the University of Michigan, but chose to go the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Berard was drafted by the Detroit Junior Red Wings of the OHL and helped the team reach the OHL finals in the 1994–95 season, though they fell short of the championship. He also made the league's first all-star team. He was named the OHL's rookie of the year, though he was not the third defenceman to win the trophy—several blueliners had earned the honor before him. Berard entered the 1995 NHL entry draft as the consensus number one pick according to several pundits, and was subsequently drafted first overall by the Ottawa Senators. The Hartford Whalers, who entered the draft holding the 13th overall pick, contacted the Senators in an effort to trade for the first overall pick to select Berard, but halted their efforts when Ottawa's asking price of Chris Pronger was deemed too high. As the first overall pick, and with the Senators blue line among the weaker in the league, Berard anticipated going straight to the National Hockey League. However, after his first training camp with the team, he was returned to junior hockey. Concerned about his development, Berard requested a trade. In January 1996, the Senators traded Berard, Martin Straka and Don Beaupre to the New York Islanders in exchange for Wade Redden and Damian Rhodes. Berard joined the Islanders for 1996–97 season and made an immediate impact. With 48 points in his rookie season, he led all defensemen on the team, and finished ninth league-wide in scoring amongst defensemen. He was rewarded for his efforts by winning the Calder Trophy as the top rookie in the NHL, edging out Jarome Iginla. He also played for the United States in the 1998 Winter Olympics. The team finished sixth. After three years with the Islanders, the team was concerned with his ability to play defense and were in search of a proven goaltender. The Islanders traded Berard to the Toronto Maple Leafs for goaltender Félix Potvin on January 9, 1999. Berard put up 19 points in 38 games with the Maple Leafs, and played 17 more contests in the postseason.

Reader's Guide

Bryan Berard was drafted first overall by the Ottawa Senators in 1995 but never played a game for them; he was traded to the New York Islanders in January 1996. He played for the Islanders, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and again for the Islanders. He also played for Vityaz Chekhov of the KHL. He won the Calder Trophy in 1997 and the Bill Masterton Trophy in 2004. He was inducted into the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.

Did You Know?

• Berard won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 1997.
• He suffered a severe eye injury on March 11, 2000, when Marián Hossa's stick clipped his left eye.