During his brief stay with the Penguins, Marian Hossa meshed well his superstar Sidney Crosby. Burying crisp passes as Pittsburgh came within two games of Hockey's Holy Grail. The outcome was heartbreaking. But when Hossa chose not to resign with the Penguins, it was only a partial disappointment. Good riddance to anyone who doesn't truly want to play here. And, on a slightly more distant note. The subconscious relief of not seeing the player whose accidental stick, all but ruined one of my personal favorites, Bryan Berard.
Born in the New England town of Woonsocket, Rhode Island, Berard dazzled the scouts with his skills. From an early age, you could tell he was something special. Whose limits would only be determined by his will. Desire. Or fate. He was the lone sparking gem in an underachieving '96 U.S. World Junior Team. Whose futility was summarized by a fifth place finish. A medal of any type was not to be.
The Ottawa Senators wisely took him first overall. But Bryan Berard refused to play. The lone action of his which I disagreed with (Testing positive for steroids in '06 too). I knew it was a big mistake. One he would regret, down the road. Needless to say, Mike Milbury featured him as the centerpiece in an Islanders Renaissance. A Calder Trophy followed. Stability did not. Berard's stay on Long Island lasted slightly longer than that horrendous Fisherman Logo. Milbury shipped him off to Toronto for fading Felix Potvin. He seemed somewhat lost as a Maple Leaf. While his defensive play improved, the explosive offensive threat vanished. Where's the Bryan Berard who engineered 48 & 46 point seasons? The star I emulated while skating on frozen Abington ponds? Where did he go? Shortly after, the horrible eye injury insued. An accidental stick follow-through by Ottawa's Marian Hossa. My heart sank. The loud shattering of my dropped glass summed up the occasion perfectly.
Berard went through many frustrating moments. Numerous painstaking eye surguries. Yet. He still found the time to answer my fan letter, by sending me an autographed photo. Perhaps that's what they mean, about hockey players being a different breed. In an age characterized by Scrooge-like greed and selfishness, Berard showed character by returning his insurance settlement in favor of an unlikely, comeback attempt. He's had limited success. His best season was with the Chicago Blackhawks, when he was awarded the Bill Masterson Trophy. But aside from Columbus' two-year contract, clubs have been relucant to offer any kind of contract security. A pattern which will likely continue.
Funny how destiny works sometimes. Had Berard committed himself to the Ottawa Senators, his future would've probably been brighter. Though the pressure to succeed would be higher, the opportunity was perhaps richer. The pieces were there. Alexandre Daigle, Daniel Alfredsson, Alexei Yashin, Shawn McEachern, Steve Duchesne & the late Sergei Zholtok. One can only imagine the endless possibilties. With so many tools at his disposal, Bryan Berard would have undoubtedly surpassed the 48 points he recorded as a Islander. Savvy veteran Duchesne would've served as an excellent mentor.
As Wade Redden's tenure with Ottawa finally came to a close, one can't help but wonder. What different path Bryan Berard's career would have taken? What would he have accomplished in those eleven years? His mouthwatering skills and dedication would have meshed beautifully, with the host of stars that have came to wear the Senator's jersey. Certainly a perennial All-Star selection. And perhaps, even on track to the Hall Of Fame. One can only, sadly ponder.

Deanna Clover
Melissa Haro



Comments (15) Add A Comment
That's cool that he answered your fan mail. As you say, that's rare these days.
YODA
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Yes. I was pleasantly surprised. I remember it was a dreary, damp day. Finding that in the mailbox sure was a thrill.
The Shamrock
Jenkintown , PA
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I actually lived up in Ottawa at the time they drafted him. There was a ton of excitement about it.
YODA
Total Comments (16875)
The Hockey News labeled him a phenom. Should've stayed a Senator. All those skill players they had. Their powerplay could've been deadly with him at the point.
The Shamrock
Jenkintown , PA
Total Comments (364)
Unfortunately, Ottawa has experienced more "could'ves" than almost any team in modern history.
Yashin...could've pulled his head out of his **** for a few years and just played hard
Berard...could've anchored a deadly power play
Daigle...could've actually lived up to even 75% of his potential and
Hasek...could've picked a better time to get injured
Chara...could've been fit under the payroll
Redden...could've stayed focussed instead of getting hooked on coke
uggh...
YODA
Total Comments (16875)
When they assembled that cast and drafted Berard, I felt they were a "dynasty in the making". I began making loose comparisons to the Edmonton Oilers team, which was predominately built through the draft. Daigle could've been a 100 point star. But he never understood that talent without hard work means nothing.
The Shamrock
Jenkintown , PA
Total Comments (364)
I am not familar with Berard, but there have been a few comments on the threads alluding to his eye injury. I very much enjoyed this blog and it has compelled me read more about him. A sad story, but one can't help but admire his persistence and determination to play hockey despite a terrible injury.
Why did he refuse to play for Ottawa?
Oilers: NHI
Total Comments (6744)
Thank you. I'm still not sure exactly why he refused.
The Shamrock
Jenkintown , PA
Total Comments (364)
There was a lot of speculation as to why he refused. Basically I think it just came down to youthful ego and impatience.
He was used to being top dog in the juniors...In Ottawa, Daigle was getting all the attention at the time. It was a media circus. Yashin, was also in the spotlight.
Berard also talked about how Ottawa was in 'shambles' and in 'disarray'. Yes, they had just come off four lousy seasons, but they were full of drafts and young talent. They were ready to climb!
YODA
Total Comments (16875)
Shamrock:
"The lone action of his which I disagreed with"
I hate to bring up up a touchy subject about one of your fav players...but..
Don't forget...He's also the first NHL guy to ever have been conclusively caught juicing. In '06, he failed his pre-Olympics steroids test and was cut from the U.S. program. He was banned from all international play for 2 years. (The NHL didn't ban him as the testing was the U.S. Olympic program's and not theirs.)
YODA
Total Comments (16875)
I forgot about that part. Thanks for reminding me.
The Shamrock
Jenkintown , PA
Total Comments (364)
To his credit, he is one of the few guys ever caught juicing in any sport that didn't try to make a million excuses afterwards. He admitted it was a gross error in judgment and apologized for his misdeeds.
YODA
Total Comments (16875)
Your point is highlighted in green.
The Shamrock
Jenkintown , PA
Total Comments (364)
Ill tell you right now.. Mezaros contract likely to exceed 4 million , Reden in the big apple.. Chara a mainstay on the bruin blueline..and the murray blunder that sent corvo to carlina haunting the team .. not to mention a hunk of cash sunk into 3 players.. Berard will sign under a million ..can play offensive presense... The sens could welcome thier draft pick back again ..Mosst assured ..he would blossom in ottawa .. God knows they need him
Innuendoman
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Nice to see someone agree. Thank you.
The Shamrock
Jenkintown , PA
Total Comments (364)
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