Bryan Berard

Bryan Wallace Berard (born March 5, 1977) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman. Berard was the first overall pick in the 1995 NHL entry draft by the Ottawa Senators. He is most noted for a debilitating eye injury he received early in his career. Berard underwent several operations, and played 619 games in his NHL career despite the seriousness of the injury.

Playing career Junior career 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 won the OHL Championship with the team in the 1994–95 season. He also made the league's first all-star team. He was also named the league's rookie of the year, only the third defenceman to win the trophy.

Entry draft and New York Islanders 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. 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. 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.

Toronto Maple Leafs and injury Berard put up 19 points in 38 games with the Maple Leafs, and played 17 more contests in the postseason. The eye was severely slashed on the sclera which resulted in a retinal tear and a detached retina. In the hospital after the incident, after being told he might lose his eye, Berard reportedly told his friends that he would play hockey again. Despite that optimism, he received a $6.5 million settlement from his insurance company, for what many considered to be a career-ending injury.

Berard missed the 2000–01 season and underwent seven eye operations, improving his vision in the eye to 20/600. However, his option was not exercised by the Rangers after a disappointing season where he only scored 2 goals and 23 points despite playing in all 82 games for the Rangers.

Berard then inked a one-year deal with an option for a second year to join the Boston Bruins.

The Chicago Blackhawks offered him a $2.01 million deal and signed him to a one-year contract. With his career seemingly on the upswing, the Blackhawks and Berard agreed on a one-year $3 million contract for the 2004–05 campaign. Blackhawks general manager Bob Pulford was eager to have him back, saying "His point production was right up there with the best defensemen. He excels on the power play and that's a huge part of the game now. It was important for us to get him under contract." But the season was ultimately cancelled due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, and with a new general manager replacing Pulford, Berard was not tendered an offer for the 2005–06 season.

As a free agent, Berard landed a two-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus GM Doug MacLean felt that Berard's skillset was a perfect fit for his club, saying "Bryan brings a level of speed to our blue line that we've never had in the past," adding, "With a more wide-open game coming in the NHL, Bryan should really flourish and we're excited about what he adds to our hockey team." While Berard had overcome the limitations of his vision to become a solid offensive defensemen, his time in Columbus would be marred by troubles with his back. His first season with the Blue Jackets saw him post impressive numbers with 12 goals and 32 points in just 44 games but a back injury - and subsequent surgery - shut him down in March. In October, when he should have been gearing up for his second year with the club, he had another surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back and managed to play just eleven games with the Jackets. In late February, just before the trade deadline, the team waived Berard, ending his time in Columbus.

Berard accepted an invitation to attend training camp for the 2007–08 season with the Islanders, and performed well enough to earn a one-year contract with them. In his first game back with his original NHL team, Berard scored the game-winning goal in a 2–1 Islander victory against another of his former teams, the Rangers. Berard managed just five goals and 22 points that season.

European career and retirement Prior to the start of the 2008–09 NHL season, Berard was invited to training camp with the Philadelphia Flyers. Berard signed on November 16, 2008, with Vityaz Chekhov of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He scored 17 points in 25 games played. Berard retired after the 2008–09 season due to problems with his back.

He was a victim along with many other NHL players of a scam run by financial advisor Phil Kenner. Kenner was eventually sentenced to 17 years in prison for the scam.

Positive drug test In early 2006, it was revealed that he had tested positive for an anabolic steroid known as 19-norandrosterone, in a drug test he had taken in November 2005. He was the first NHL player ever to test positive for steroids. The NHL did not hand down any form of suspension to Berard, as they did not administer the test, but he was banned from international play for two years effective January 3, 2006. Berard said after the incident, "I made a mistake that resulted in a suspension and, while unintentional, I take full responsibility. I became aware of this problem after the fact, and for that, I am disappointed in myself."

Awards and honors NHL All-Rookie Team, 1997 Calder Memorial Trophy, 1997 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, 2004 Inducted into the Rhode Island Hockey Hall of Fame, 2018

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1991–92 Mount St. Charles Academy HS-RI 15 3 15 18 4 — — — — — 1992–93 Mount St. Charles Academy HS-RI 15 8 12 20 18 — — — — — 1993–94 Mount St. Charles Academy HS-RI 15 11 26 37 4 4 3 3 6 6 1994–95 Detroit Junior Red Wings OHL 58 20 55 75 97 21 4 20 24 38 1994–95 Detroit Junior Red Wings MC — — — — — 5 1 3 4 6 1995–96 Detroit Whalers OHL 56 31 58 89 116 17 7 18 25 41 1996–97 New York Islanders NHL 82 8 40 48 86 — — — — — 1997–98 New York Islanders NHL 75 14 32 46 59 — — — — — 1998–99 New York Islanders NHL 34 4 11 15 26 — — — — — 1998–99 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 38 5 14 19 22 17 1 8 9 8 1999–2000 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 64 3 27 30 42 — — — — — 2001–02 New York Rangers NHL 82 2 21 23 60 — — — — — 2002–03 Boston Bruins NHL 80 10 28 38 64 3 1 0 1 2 2003–04 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 58 13 34 47 53 — — — — — 2005–06 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 44 12 20 32 32 — — — — — 2006–07 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 11 0 3 3 8 — — — — — 2007–08 New York Islanders NHL 54 5 17 22 48 — — — — — 2008–09 Vityaz Chekhov KHL 25 3 14 17 103 — — — — — NHL totals 619 76 247 323 500 20 2 8 10 10

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 1995 United States WJC 7 0 1 1 36 1996 United States WJC 6 1 4 5 20 1997 United States WC 1 1 0 1 0 1998 United States OG 4 0 0 0 0 Junior totals 13 1 5 6 56 Senior totals 5 1 0 1 0