| Perry Berezan | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Born | (1964-12-05)December 5, 1964 (age 60) | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 192 lb (87 kg; 13 st 10 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Calgary Flames Minnesota North Stars San Jose Sharks | ||
| NHL draft | 55th overall,1983 Calgary Flames | ||
| Playing career | 1985–1993 | ||
Perry Edmund Berezan (born December 5, 1964) is a Canadian formerice hockeycentre who played nine seasons in theNational Hockey League (NHL) between 1985 and 1993. He was a third round selection, 55th overall, of theCalgary Flames at the1983 NHL Entry Draft and also played for theMinnesota North Stars andSan Jose Sharks. He is an alumnus of theUniversity of North Dakota hockey program.
A native ofEdmonton,Alberta, Berezan played two seasons ofJunior A with theSt. Albert Saints of theAlberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) between 1981 and 1983. In 104 games for the Saints, Berezan recorded 53 goals and 129 points.[1] He was later recognized by the AJHL as one of its top-50 all-time players during the league's 50th anniversary in 2013–14.[2]
TheCalgary Flames selected Berezan with their third selection, 55th overall, at the1983 NHL Entry Draft,[3] however he opted to first play college hockey with theNorth Dakota Fighting Sioux. In his freshman season of 1983–84, Berezan tied withDan Brennan for the team lead at 28 goals.[4] Berezan recorded 52 points as a freshman, and improved to 58 in 1984–85 as a sophomore.[5] He recorded his 100th career point in his 75th game. At the time, he became the second fastest in school history to reach the milestone (Troy Murray, 50 games).[6]
Opting to leave North Dakota after two seasons, Berezan turned professional and joined the Flames late in the1984–85 NHL season. He appeared in nine games with Calgary and scored a point in each of his first four contests; Berezan's first NHL goal was scored March 20, 1985, against theToronto Maple Leafs.[7]
Though an offensive player in junior and college, Berezan was converted to a defensive forward in the NHL.[1] He posted 12 goals and 33 points in his first full season,1985–86.[5] He was credited with one goal during the playoffs following one of the most infamous blunders in NHL history.[8] In the seventh game of theSmythe Division Final against theEdmonton Oilers, Berezan dumped the puck into the Edmonton zone before leaving the ice on a line change. Oilers defencemanSteve Smith recovered the puck behind his net and accidentally passed it off goaltenderGrant Fuhr's skate and into his own goal.[9] As the last Flame to touch the puck, Berezan was credited with the goal even though he was on the bench when the puck went in. It proved to be the deciding marker in a 3–2 Calgary victory that also clinched the series.[10]
Injuries plagued Berezan throughout his tenure with Calgary. Among his injuries over his five seasons with the Flames, Berezan missed time due to a groin injury, broken leg, food poisoning and a concussion suffered following a hit by Edmonton'sMark Messier in 1988.[7][11] After appearing in 55 games in his rookie season, Berezan played only 24 and 29 games his following two years.[5] He had appeared in 35 games for the Flames in1988–89 when, on March 4, 1989, he was traded. The Flames sent Berezan andShane Churla to theMinnesota North Stars in exchange forBrian MacLellan and a fourth round pick at the1989 NHL Entry Draft.[12]
Berezan appeared in 16 games with the North Stars to complete the season and finished the year with a combined 51 games played, 5 goals and 13 points. He played 64 games in1989–90, recording 15 points, and upped that to 17 points in 52 games in1990–91.[5] He left Minnesota following the season and signed a contract with the expansionSan Jose Sharks.[1] After recording 19 points in a career-high 66 games in1991–92, Berezan split thefollowing season between the Sharks and theirInternational Hockey League (IHL) affiliate, theKansas City Blades.[5] He retired in 1993.[11]
After leaving hockey, Berezan returned to the University of North Dakota where he earned a commerce degree and became a financial planner and investment advisor.[11] Berezan and his wife, Marie, have three children and settled in Calgary.[13] An active member of the Calgary community, Berezan is associated with the Alberta Pro-Am hockey tournaments that raise money to fightAlzheimer's disease.[14] A longtime member of the Calgary Flames Alumni Association, Berezan also supports causes like theSpecial Olympics and KidSport Calgary.[13]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1981–82 | St. Albert Saints | AJHL | 47 | 16 | 36 | 52 | 47 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | St. Albert Saints | AJHL | 57 | 37 | 40 | 77 | 110 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | University of North Dakota | WCHA | 44 | 28 | 24 | 52 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | University of North Dakota | WCHA | 42 | 23 | 35 | 58 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 9 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1985–86 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 55 | 12 | 21 | 33 | 39 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 1986–87 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 24 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | ||
| 1987–88 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 29 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 66 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 13 | ||
| 1988–89 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 35 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 16 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1989–90 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 64 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 31 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1990–91 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 52 | 11 | 6 | 17 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1990–91 | Kalamazoo Wings | IHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 66 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 28 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Kansas City Blades | IHL | 9 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 378 | 61 | 75 | 136 | 277 | 31 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 34 | ||||