Steve Bernier
| Steve Bernier | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Bernier with the New Jersey Devils in April 2014 | |||
| Born |
March 31, 1985 Quebec City, QC, CAN | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) | ||
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb) | ||
| Position | Right Wing | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| NHL team (P) Cur. team Former teams |
New York Islanders Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) San Jose Sharks Buffalo Sabres Vancouver Canucks Florida Panthers New Jersey Devils | ||
| National team |
 Canada | ||
| NHL Draft |
16th overall, 2003 San Jose Sharks | ||
| Playing career | 2005–present | ||
Steve Bernier (born March 31, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has also played in the NHL for the New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks and the San Jose Sharks, the latter of which originally selected him in the first round, 16th overall, in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
Playing career
Junior
After capturing the 2001 Air Canada Cup, while being named Tournament MVP, with the Gouverneurs de Ste-Foy,[1] Bernier was drafted first overall in the 2001 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Midget Draft.[2] He played his entire four-season major junior career with the Moncton Wildcats. In his rookie year, he led Moncton in goals and finished fourth among QMJHL rookies in overall scoring; he was named to the 2001–02 QMJHL All-Rookie Team. His most productive junior season came in his draft year, 2002–03, when he scored 49 goals and 101 points, ninth in League scoring. He was named to the QMJHL Second All-Star Team.
Going into the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, the San Jose Sharks traded their 21st, 66th and 107th selections in exchange for the 16th overall position, with which they used to draft Bernier. Upon being drafted, Bernier played two more seasons with Moncton and was named once more to the QMJHL Second All-Star Team in 2003–04. Helping lead Moncton to the 2004 QMJHL Finals, he scored seven goals and ten assists in 20 playoff games. However, the Wildcats were eliminated by the Gatineau Olympiques in five games. In his fourth and final junior season, in 2004–05, Bernier tallied 71 points (tops in team scoring) and 114 penalty minutes in 68 games, but it marked the second-straight season his offensive output had dropped. Soon after being eliminated in the second round, the Sharks signed Bernier to his first professional contract, a three-year deal.[3]
Professional
San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres
Bernier split his first professional season, 2005–06, between the Sharks and their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Cleveland Barons. He scored 14 goals and added 13 assists in 39 games with the Sharks for a successful rookie season. His first NHL goal was scored on November 12, 2005, against Marty Turco of the Dallas Stars.[4] In the 2006 playoffs, he added one goal and five assists in 11 games, as San Jose was eliminated in the second round.
Midway through his sophomore season, Bernier was sent back to the AHL after the Sharks suffered an 8–0 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes.[5] However, Bernier soon broke his toe and missed a month's worth of games. After rehabilitation and ten games with Worcester (San Jose's new AHL affiliate), Bernier rejoined the Sharks in late February.
On February 26, at the 2007–08 trade deadline, Bernier was sent to the Buffalo Sabres, along with a first-round draft pick, in exchange for defenceman Brian Campbell and a seventh-round pick. The next day, in his Sabres debut, Bernier scored two goals on his first two shots and later added an assist, helping Buffalo to an 8–4 win over the Nashville Predators. At the time, Thomas Vanek wore number 26 for the Sabres, so Bernier chose the number 56 instead.
Vancouver Canucks
As Bernier became a restricted free agent at the end of the season, he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2010 and a third-round draft pick in 2009 (Los Angeles' selection). While Bernier was admittedly surprised with the trade, he expressed approval in moving to Vancouver.[6] Four days later, he was extended a one-year, $2.5 million offer sheet by the St. Louis Blues, which the Canucks quickly matched.[7] Playing in his first season with Vancouver, he injured both his left shoulder and left toe after missing a check on defenceman Brett Lebda and hitting the boards on November 24, 2008, against the Detroit Red Wings.[8] However, he was only briefly sidelined and, setting career-highs in assists and points, he was awarded the Fred J. Hume Award as the team's unsung hero.[9] Although Bernier was seen at the start of the season as a promising candidate for the Canucks' top line with the Henrik and Daniel Sedin,[10] he settled into a third-line checking role with linemates Kyle Wellwood and Mason Raymond in the latter stages of the season.[11] Following the Canucks' second round elimination to the Chicago Blackhawks, Bernier was re-signed to a two-year, $4 million contract on May 14, 2009.[12]
In preparation for the 2009–10 season, Bernier reported to training camp 15 pounds (6.8 kg) lighter.[11]
Florida Panthers
On June 25, 2010, during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Bernier was traded, along with Michael Grabner and the Canucks' first-round choice in the Draft (25th overall, used to select Quinton Howden), to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Keith Ballard and Victor Oreskovich.[13] In November 2010, Bernier missed eight games with a right eye injury. Later in the season, he was placed on waivers by Florida on February 24, 2011, but went unclaimed. Remaining with Florida, he missed the final two games of the season with a shoulder injury,[14] finishing with 15 points (five goals and ten assists) over 68 contests in 2010–11. Set to become a restricted free agent in the off-season, Florida chose not to tender Bernier a qualifying offer, giving him unrestricted status on July 1, 2011.
New Jersey Devils
Without a contract at the start of the NHL's training camp period, he was invited to the New Jersey Devils' training camp in September 2011.[14] Within a month, he accepted an AHL contract with New Jersey's minor league affiliate, the Albany Devils.[15] Bernier was later signed to a one-year, two way contract with the Devils on January 30, 2012.[16]
In Game 6 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals, Bernier received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding after hitting Los Angeles Kings defenceman Rob Scuderi from behind with 9:50 remaining in the first period. The ensuing five-minute major penalty led to three Kings goals, including the Stanley Cup-winning goal (when a major penalty is assessed, the entire five-minute penalty must be served) and a commanding three-goal advantage over the Devils at the end of the first period. The Kings went on to win the game 6–1, clinching the series and winning the franchise its first Stanley Cup.[17]
New York Islanders
After four seasons within the Devils organization Bernier left as a free agent, and approaching the 2015-16 season he signed a one-year contract with the New York Islanders on September 17, 2015.[18]
International play
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Canada
| ||
| Ice hockey | ||
| IIHF World U18 Championships | ||
.svg.png){kind=icon} | 2003 Russia | |
| Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament | ||
| | 2002 Slovakia | |
Bernier made his first international appearance at the 2001 World U-17 Challenge with Team Quebec. He tallied six points in six games; Quebec failed to medal.
At the under-18 level, he competed at the 2002 Eight Nations Tournament in Slovakia with Team Canada and captured gold. During his second year of major junior with Moncton, Bernier competed in the 2003 World U18 Championships in Russia. He captured his second-straight gold medal with Team Canada in a 3–0 win against Slovakia. He recorded eight points in seven games, finishing second in team scoring behind Marc-Antoine Pouliot.
Personal life
Bernier resided in Yaletown, an area of Downtown Vancouver, when he played for the Vancouver Canucks.[19]
Bernier has no affiliation with Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jonathan Bernier.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1998–99 | Quebec AA Aces | QAHA | 28 | 33 | 23 | 56 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Quebec AA Aces | QMJHL | 26 | 12 | 23 | 35 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Ste-Foy Gouverneurs | QAAA | 39 | 17 | 35 | 52 | 48 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 8 | ||
| 2001–02 | Moncton Wildcats | QMJHL | 66 | 31 | 28 | 59 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Moncton Wildcats | QMJHL | 71 | 49 | 52 | 101 | 90 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2003–04 | Moncton Wildcats | QMJHL | 66 | 36 | 46 | 82 | 80 | 20 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 17 | ||
| 2004–05 | Moncton Wildcats | QMJHL | 68 | 35 | 36 | 71 | 114 | 12 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 22 | ||
| 2005–06 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 49 | 20 | 23 | 43 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 39 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 35 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 2006–07 | Worcester Sharks | AHL | 10 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 62 | 15 | 16 | 31 | 29 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2007–08 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 59 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 62 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 17 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 81 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 27 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 7 | ||
| 2009–10 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 59 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 21 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2010–11 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 68 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | Albany Devils | AHL | 17 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 32 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 24 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 27 | ||
| 2012–13 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 47 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 78 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Albany Devils | AHL | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 67 | 16 | 16 | 32 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | New York Islanders | NHL | 24 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 633 | 105 | 125 | 230 | 300 | 74 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 44 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Canada Quebec | U17 | 5th | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | |
| 2002 | Canada Quebec | U17 | 4th | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2002 | Canada | IH18 |  |
5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2003 | Canada | WJC18 | |
7 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 12 | |
| Junior totals | 22 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 20 | ||||
Awards
- Won the Air Canada Cup with the Gouverneurs de Ste-Foy in 2001.
- Named Air Canada Cup MVP in 2001.
- Named to the QMJHL All-Rookie Team in 2002.
- Named to the CHL Second All-Star Team in 2003.
- Named to the QMJHL Second All-Star Team in 2003 and 2004.
- Won the Fred J. Hume Award (Vancouver Canucks' unsung hero) in 2009.
References
- ↑ "2001 Air Canada Cup". Hockey Canada. Retrieved 2009-03-24.
- ↑ "Hockey Future's Top 50 Prospects". HockeysFuture.com. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- ↑ "Roundup: Shanahan decides to return to Wings". USA Today. 2005-07-28. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- ↑ "Barons weekly review". OurSports Central. Retrieved 2008-10-27.
- ↑ "Sharks demote two top youngsters to AHL". ESPN. 2007-01-02. Retrieved 2008-07-06.
- ↑ "Canucks acquire Steve Bernier from Sabres". CBC Sports. 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2008-07-06.
- ↑ "Canucks match Blues' offer, keep Bernier". Star Tribute. 2008-07-09. Retrieved 2008-07-09.
- ↑ "Luongo has company". Faceoff.com. 2008-11-26. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
- ↑ "Canucks announce 2008–09 award winners". Vancouver Canucks. 2009-04-09. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
- ↑ "Bernier gets to work early for Canucks". Vancouver Sun. 2008-08-22. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
- 1 2 "Loads of potential in Canucks' third line". The Province. 2009-10-01. Retrieved 2009-10-05.
- ↑ "'Nucks re-sign Bernier". CanWest News Services. 2009-05-15. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
- ↑ NHL.com (2010-06-25). "Florida Deals D Ballard To Vancouver". FloridaPanthers.com. Retrieved 2010-06-25.
- 1 2 "Steve Bernier". The Sports Network. Retrieved 2011-10-27.
- ↑ "Albany Devils sign Steve Bernier". Albany Devils. 2011-10-27. Retrieved 2011-10-27.
- ↑ "Greene back at practice; Henrique "still sore"; Bernier joins Devils; Zajac not skating yet". NorthJersey.com. 2012-01-30. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
- ↑ "WATCH: Devils forward Steve Bernier's Game 6 penalty led to 3 Kings goals". Sports Illustrated.
- ↑ "Bernier agrees to terms". New York Islanders. 2015-09-17. Retrieved 2015-09-18.
- ↑ "Offside with Steve Bernier". Vancouver Canucks. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Steve Bernier. |
- Steve Bernier's player profile at NHL.com
- Steve Bernier's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database
- Steve Bernier's biography at Legends of Hockey
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Milan Michálek |
San Jose Sharks first round draft pick 2003 |
Succeeded by Lukáš Kašpar |