Jacob Bernard-Docker

Jacob Bernard-Docker (born June 30, 2000) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a defenceman for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). Bernard-Docker was drafted in the first round, 26th overall, by the Ottawa Senators in the 2018 NHL entry draft.

Early life Bernard-Docker was born on June 30, 2000, in Canmore, Alberta, Canada to parents Thomas and Rolanda Bernard-Docker. Although he was born and raised in Canmore, his family spent every summer in Pictou County to visit his grandparents. Bernard-Docker played peewee ice hockey with a AA team in Cochrane and a bantam AAA in Airdrie, Alberta before enrolling at the Edge School for Athletes with his two younger siblings. During this time, he was selected to participate in the 2010 Brick Invitational Super Novice Tournament. However, he chose to follow the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) route to maintain his American National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) eligibility. Upon joining the Okotoks Oilers of the AJHL for the 2016–17 season, Bernard-Docker tallied seven goals and 15 assists through 54 games.

Bernard-Docker returned to the Oilers for the 2017–18 season where he greatly improved offensively and received numerous awards including the CJHL's Top Defenceman and W. G. (Bill) Scott Memorial Trophy. Leading up to the National Hockey League (NHL)'s 2018 entry draft, Bernard-Docker was placed 33rd overall for North American skaters in the final NHL Central Scouting Bureau rankings. Despite being drafted, Bernard-Docker stayed committed to the University of North Dakota.

Collegiate Bernard-Docker played with the North Dakota Fighting Hawks from 2018 to 2021 while majoring in kinesiology. As the season continued, Bernard-Docker was again named the NCHC Defenseman of the Week for the week ending on January 14 after he helped the Fighting Hawks sweep Colorado College. Bernard-Docker finished his season with five goals and added 12 assists for 17 points.

Following his freshman season, Bernard-Docker improved offensively and tallied three goals and 11 assists through his first 17 games of the 2019–20 season. He recorded his first career multi-goal game in the season finale at Omaha However, the NCHC's postseason was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Once collegiate hockey resumed in November 2020, Bernard-Docker was named an assistant captain for the Fighting Hawks alongside Mark Senden and Jasper Weatherby. He was also chosen for the 2020 NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team. In their season opener, Bernard-Docker and teammate Weatherby knelt during the national anthem. He finished the season with three goals and 18 points in 27 games.

Professional Bernard-Docker was selected by the Ottawa Senators in the first round, 26th overall, of the 2018 NHL entry draft, making him the highest drafted Okotoks Oilers player in team history. On April 1, 2021, Bernard-Docker signalled the end of his collegiate career by signing a three-year, entry-level contract with Ottawa. He then made his NHL debut on April 14, playing 15:33 and blocking two shots, during a loss to the Winnipeg Jets. He made five appearances for Ottawa, going scoreless. Before the start of the 2021–22 season, Bernard-Docker was assigned to the Senators American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Belleville Senators, for the start of the season. After playing in 11 games with their AHL affiliate, tallying two goals and one assist, Bernard-Docker received his first NHL call-up of the season due to Nikita Zaitsev being added to the NHL's COVID-19 protocol. In his first NHL game of the season, he played 8:47 and tallied his first career NHL point by notching the primary assist on Zach Sanford's goal. He finished the season having played in eight games for Ottawa, recording the one point and 58 games for Belleville, adding two goals and nine points. Belleville qualified for the 2022 Calder Cup playoffs and faced the Rochester Americans in the opening round best-of-three series. Belleville was swept in two games, with Bernard-Docker going scoreless.

During the 2022–23 season, Bernard-Docker bounced between Belleville and Ottawa, being recalled several times as cover for injured players. He played alongside Thomas Chabot while in Ottawa. He finished the season with 19 games in Ottawa, marking just one point and 41 games with Belleville, tallying two goals and six points. A restricted free agent at season's end, Bernard-Docker signed a two-year contract extension with Ottawa. Bernard-Docker attended the Senators 2023 training camp, however, he failed to make the NHL team, and was placed on waivers, but went unclaimed. He was assigned to Belleville to start the 2023–24 season. Bernard-Docker scored his first NHL goal on December 7, 2023, against Joseph Woll on a slapshot in a 4–3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He remained with Ottawa for the remainder of the season, appearing in 72 games, scoring four goals and 14 points. In two appearances with Belleville before his recall, he went scoreless. He suffered a high ankle sprain in January 2025 in a collision with teammate Zack Ostapchuk in practice. He remained out of the lineup into March. He made 25 appearances with Ottawa, recording one goal and four points. Bernard-Docker returned to practice with the Sabres on March 14 In his second game with Buffalo he recorded his first points with the Sabres, assisting on the team's first two goals in a 5–3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets. He scored his first goal with the Sabres in his third game and first back in Ottawa on March 25, scoring the game-tying goal in the second period, in a 3–2 win. He appeared in 15 games with Buffalo scoring the one goal and four points, playing mainly alongside Owen Power.

International play

He was invited to participate in Team Canada junior's selection camp ahead of the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships but was cut before the final roster was finalized. He was selected for Team Canada' junior team for the 2020 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, the only player attended college to make the team. He played on Canada's top defence pairing, and assisted on Akil Thomas' game-winning goal in a 4–3 victory over Russia to win the gold medal. Canada advanced to the final, facing Finland, who they beat 3–2 in overtime to win the gold medal.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2016–17 Okotoks Oilers AJHL 54 7 15 22 12 12 2 5 7 8 2017–18 Okotoks Oilers AJHL 49 20 21 41 34 15 7 7 14 8 2018–19 U. of North Dakota NCHC 36 5 12 17 6 — — — — — 2019–20 U. of North Dakota NCHC 32 7 18 25 12 — — — — — 2020–21 U. of North Dakota NCHC 27 3 15 18 20 — — — — — 2020–21 Ottawa Senators NHL 5 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2021–22 Belleville Senators AHL 58 2 7 9 22 2 0 0 0 0 2021–22 Ottawa Senators NHL 8 0 1 1 4 — — — — — 2022–23 Belleville Senators AHL 41 2 4 6 35 — — — — — 2022–23 Ottawa Senators NHL 19 0 1 1 11 — — — — — 2023–24 Ottawa Senators NHL 72 4 10 14 25 — — — — — 2023–24 Belleville Senators AHL 2 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 2024–25 Ottawa Senators NHL 25 1 3 4 4 — — — — — 2024–25 Buffalo Sabres NHL 15 1 3 4 13 — — — — — 2025–26 Detroit Red Wings NHL 63 1 4 5 25 — — — — — NHL totals 207 7 22 29 82 — — — — —

International

Awards and honours Award Year RefCollege All-NCHC Second Team 2020–21