If he had not gotten that eye injury in the early 2000s, could he have been one of the best defensemen of that era?
How good would Bryan Berard have been?
- Thread starter Iggys Dome
- Start date
Dennis Bonvie
Registered User
He probably would have peaked similarly to Steve Duchense, Jeff Brown, or Christian Ehrhoff. Good enough to play 20-25 mins a game as a first or second pairing dman during the regular season, but not well rounded enough to be a #1 dman on good team or a serious contender for the Norris.
Stephen
Moderator
- Feb 28, 2002
- 78,519
- 64,865
Huge Bryan Berard fan. When he was drafted they likened him to a cross between Brian Leetch and Chris Chelios. Gifted offensive defenseman, could skate like the wind and a healthy mean streak. He was extremely dynamic in his rookie year on the Island but plateaued on a dysfunctional team. He was traded to the Leafs where he was slowly coming around to developing more of his all around game when he was injured.
I don't think he would have ended up as the best defenseman of his generation, but I think something stylistically between former teammates Bryan McCabe (physicality, recklessness, shot from the point) and Tomas Kaberle (fluid skater, but more explosive than Kaberle, and puckhandling in transition, quarterbacking on the PP) would have been quite achievable, topping out in ranking alongside McCabe, Kaberle and Redden in his generation.
I don't think he would have ended up as the best defenseman of his generation, but I think something stylistically between former teammates Bryan McCabe (physicality, recklessness, shot from the point) and Tomas Kaberle (fluid skater, but more explosive than Kaberle, and puckhandling in transition, quarterbacking on the PP) would have been quite achievable, topping out in ranking alongside McCabe, Kaberle and Redden in his generation.
Off topic a little bit, but I’m surprised the Islanders traded him. I believe they traded him for Potvin, who wasn’t even the Leafs number one guy since they had signed Joseph. You’d think the Isles could have acquired Potvin for less. Never understood that one, but I guess Milbury was the GM at the time.
seventieslord
Student Of The Game
I remember thinking that too, at the time. But in retrospect, Berard was plummeting in value. After acquiring him we saw why we got him so cheap.
Interesting because he was only about 22 when the Leafs acquired him. I’d think his value would have been pretty high, or at the very least not low.
Buffalowing1988
Registered User
- Aug 11, 2008
- 4,275
- 2,096
That's the literal exact comparison I wanted to make. It's unfair to discount his defensive zone play because it would have otherwise developed. Even if it hadn't, he was an excellent PP guy well after the injury. One of the guys I wish we had seen a full career out of.
Buffalowing1988
Registered User
- Aug 11, 2008
- 4,275
- 2,096
The guy comes back from a massive injury, gets signed to multiple contracts, plays serious minutes with each team, but you discount him with a "no"?
Honestly, that seems pretty subjective. He had a lot of value.
Dennis Bonvie
Registered User
In my opinion, you cannot be one of the best defensemen of your era if you can't play defense.
Stylistically like Housley but not even close to as good offensively.
He was considered a bit of a disappointment at the time he was hurt and I don’t even really think his play after the injury was much worse than before.
Maybe if the stars aligned he could have had a 50-point season or two but he was not going to be any sort of elite player.
Maybe if the stars aligned he could have had a 50-point season or two but he was not going to be any sort of elite player.
David Bruce Banner
Acid Raven Bed Burn
In terms of defensemen that suffered serious eye injuries... I think Ohlund lost more top end than Berard
seventieslord
Student Of The Game
Berard didn't really play serious minutes after coming back. He played #4-6 minutes at even strength (where he posted awful ratios) and was used heavily on the pp. This was all for awful, non-playoff teams, too. And these bad teams weren't even attached to him, even to them he was just a replaceable part. They passed him around like currency.
The closest Berard every got to being a relied upon player for a successful team was with the 99 Leafs.
Last edited:
NYR94
Registered User
He was a different player his one year with the Rangers but I give him credit for returning to play and adapting his game.
Iapyi
Registered User
I know that seeing him play live and while seated in the front row at the Saddledome there are very few players that I saw who could skate like him.
BenchBrawl
Registered User
- Jul 26, 2010
- 30,837
- 14,484
Looking back at this weird collection of defensemen that went 1st overall in the 1990s (hard not to associate them in my mind), I'd pick Jovanovski, Hamrlik and Phillips over him (in this order) even if you tell me Berard doesn't lose his eye.
Tangent: Hamrlik was underrated; even when he was older in Montreal he was still a very serviceable #2 defenseman behind prime Andrei Markov.
Tangent: Hamrlik was underrated; even when he was older in Montreal he was still a very serviceable #2 defenseman behind prime Andrei Markov.
Moose Head
Registered User
Agreed on Hamrlik. Phaneuf was a Norris contender when Hamrlik was cleaning up after him.
