Daniel Berthiaume

Daniel J. Berthiaume (born January 26, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played six seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Winnipeg Jets, Minnesota North Stars, Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins, and Ottawa Senators.

Daniel Berthiaume
Born (1966-01-26) January 26, 1966
Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Winnipeg Jets
Minnesota North Stars
Los Angeles Kings
Boston Bruins
Ottawa Senators
NHL Draft 60th overall, 1985
Winnipeg Jets
Playing career 19862005

Playing career

Known as "The Bandit" during his hockey career,[1] Berthiaume was a standout goaltender in junior hockey, playing for the Drummondville Voltigeurs and Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the QMJHL. During the 1984-85 Berthiaume won 40 games for the Saguenéens, a feat made more impressive when you factor in that the team won 41 games that season.

Following this impressive year, he was drafted 60th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft and then played his final year of Junior hockey then made his NHL debut that spring during the NHL playoffs.

Winnipeg Jets

The Jets faced the Flames in the first round and veteran goaltender Dan Bouchard started Game One but was relieved by Brian Hayward after giving up five goals. Hayward started Game Two but after surrendering six goals he was yanked and Marc Behrend finished up the game. For Game Three, with the Jets on the verge of elimination, Berthiaume made his NHL debut and dazzled making 39-saves before ultimately losing in overtime when Hall of Famer Lanny McDonald found the back of the net.

In the off-season, the Jets acquired Steve Penney from the Montreal Canadiens and he was expected to be their starter but Berthiaume and fellow rookie Eldon "Pokey" Reddick seized the job and formed a solid platoon, known as "Pokey and the Bandit" playing on the popular movie series Smokey and the Bandit. Berthiaume posted an impressive 18-7-3 record in 31 games during his rookie NHL season of 1986-87. During his second season in the NHL, Berthiaume assumed the starting job in Winnipeg and posted a career-best 22 wins. The following season he struggled and ended up spending the bulk of the year toiling in the minors while Reddick took over the starters job with the Jets and veteran Alain Chevrier and rookie Bob Essensa supported him. Berthiaume was back with the Jets for the 1989-90 season, but Essensa was now the club's starting netminder.

Berthiaume came under fire for allegedly swearing at children seeking his autograph. On January 22, 1990 he was traded to the Minnesota North Stars for future considerations. Mike Smith, general manager of the Jets, said Berthiaume's trade was related to his off-ice actions. The goalie apologized on television for swearing at autograph seekers, then a day later denied the incident took place and said he had been ordered to apologize by team management.[2]

Minnesota North Stars

Goaltender Jon Casey handled the bulk of the duties for the North Stars so Berthiuame appeared in just five games for Minnesota, managing just one win and a mediocre 3.50 goals against average. Prior to the start of the 1990-91 training camp, Berthiaume was traded to the Los Angeles Kings for Craig Duncanson.[3]

Los Angeles Kings

With the Kings, Berthiaume served as the back up to veteran Kelly Hrudey and performed well enough to win 20-games for the club. However, his improved play didn't last, and the next season, 1991–92, he struggled posting a 4.04 goals against average while managing just seven wins in 19 appearances. His uneven play ultimately cost him his job and he was shipped to Boston for future considerations on January 18, 1992.[4]

Boston Bruins

The Bruins had Andy Moog firmly entrenched in their starter role with veteran Réjean Lemelin as his back-up, but when Lemelin suffered a groin injury, they were in need of some depth.[5] The Bruins brought in Berthiaume but he did little to help, winning just one of the eight starts he made for Boston. During the off-season, the Bruins traded him back to Winnipeg for Doug Evans. [6]

Europe and the Ottawa Senators

Berthiaume started the 1992-1993 season playing for EC Graz in the Austria, but on December 15, 1992 he signed as a free agent with the Ottawa Senators.[7] The first-year Senators leaned heavily on goaltender Peter Sidorkiewicz and while he faired admirably considering the heavy fire he took each night in their crease, his back-up, veteran Steve Weeks, was horribly over-matched posting a 7.23 goals against average. Berthiaume was brought in to backup Sidorkiewicz. He appeared in 25 games posting a 2-17-1 record for the lowly Senators. In the off-season, the Senators upgraded their goaltending by acquiring Craig Billington and they promoted rookie Darrin Madeley which pushed Berthiaume out of the crease. He made one appearance for Ottawa in the 1993-94 season and though it lasted just one minute, he surrendered two goals on two shots giving him a 120.00 goals against average for the season and zero save percentage. Late in the season he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings for Steve Konroyd,[8] but he never suited up for the club making his final NHL appearance his one-minute stint for the Senators earlier that year.

In all, Berthiaume played in a total of 215 regular season NHL games during his career, posting a record of 81-91-21 with a goals against average of 3.67. He also appeared in 14 NHL playoff games, all with Winnipeg.

Minor Leagues

After making his final NHL appearance with the Ottawa Senators during the 1993-94 season, he spent most of the remainder of his career in the ECHL with the Roanoke Express, where he spent seven seasons in three stints and often split duties with Dave Gagnon. He also played for the ECHL's Wheeling Thunderbirds, the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League, and the Central Texas Stampede of the WPHL where he won the Most Outstanding Goaltender honours for the 1996-97 season.[9] He played his last season with the Port Huron Beacons of the United Hockey League before retiring in 2005.

Berthiaume also played professional roller hockey, tending goal for Roller Hockey International's New Jersey Rockin' Rollers in 1994, Motor City Mustangs in 1995, and Philadelphia Bulldogs in 1996.

Coaching career

Berthiaume was the assistant coach of the Roanoke Valley Vipers in the United Hockey League at the start of their 2005-06 season.,[10] but on February 6, 2006 it was announced that Berthiaume would become the head coach, replacing Jim Wiley who lost his job in mid-season.[10] He then coached the Virginia Military Institute Hockey team.

Personal life

Berthiaume currently lives in Hardy, Virginia, where he owns and operates Captain Bert's Fishin' Charters on Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, a freshwater striped bass fishery.[11] He is married and has three sons. Alongside this he coaches the local youth hockey team and his biggest fan is Freddy.

Awards

  • 1996-97: Outstanding Goaltender (WPHL)

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPWLTMINGASOGAASV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1981–82 Richelieu Éclaireurs QMAAA 302082179712504.17 2022071805.22
1982–83 Richelieu Riverains QMAAA 4423128260717103.94 5232962304.66
1983–84 Drummondville Voltigeurs QMJHL 2812130156213105.03.863 31541606.23.828
1984–85 Drummondville Voltigeurs QMJHL 31201791705.70.837
1984–85 Chicoutimi Saguenéens QMJHL 5640112316819823.75.885 14867705103.97.888
1985–86 Chicoutimi Saguenéens QMJHL 6634293371828614.62.874 9455803703.83.900
1985–86 Winnipeg Jets NHL 10168403.51.907
1986–87 Winnipeg Jets NHL 31187317559313.18.885 8444372102.88.900
1986–87 Sherbrooke Canadiens AHL 74304202303.29.883
1987–88 Winnipeg Jets NHL 5622197300417623.52.882
1988–89 Winnipeg Jets NHL 90804434405.96.826
1988–89 Moncton Hawks AHL 2169210837604.21.879 3121801103.67
1989–90 Winnipeg Jets NHL 241011313878613.72.871
1989–90 Minnesota North Stars NHL 51302401403.49.865
1990–91 Los Angeles Kings NHL 3720114211911713.31.892
1991–92 Los Angeles Kings NHL 1971019796604.04.878
1991–92 Boston Bruins NHL 81423992103.16.865
1992–93 EC Graz AUT 28
1992–93 Ottawa Senators NHL 25217113269504.30.871
1993–94 Ottawa Senators NHL 1000120184.62.000
1993–94 PEI Senators AHL 308163164013004.76.869
1993–94 Adirondack Red Wings AHL 117205523503.80.874 11646323002.85.898
1994–95 Providence Bruins AHL 2011126703.32.870
1994–95 Wheeling Thunderbirds ECHL 106116004104.10.867
1994–95 Roanoke Express ECHL 21154211964702.36.919 8444642312.97
1994–95 Detroit Vipers IHL 5233311402.53.926
1995–96 Detroit Vipers IHL 74304011922.84.898
1995–96 Roanoke Express ECHL 3922133210911223.19.907 202116603.09.902
1996–97 Central Texas Stampede WPHL 5430200303417123.38.900 11566784313.80.895
1997–98 Roanoke Express ECHL 30178317117422.59.909 220120402.00
1998–99 Roanoke Express ECHL 351812521059722.76.908 10646081911.88.943
1999–00 Roanoke Express ECHL 372112421038722.48.919 202118603.04.870
2000–01 Roanoke Express ECHL 4526171260410442.40.918 5233391502.65.917
2001–02 Roanoke Express ECHL 5123176284712942.72.912 312141702.98.883
2002–03 Greensboro Generals ECHL 5330145299814522.90.915 8444832402.98.925
2003–04 Greensboro Generals ECHL 4323181251815103.60.901
2004–05 Port Huron Beacons UHL 30717316019503.56.896
NHL totals 21581902111,65471453.68.878 14598075003.72.877

References

  1. http://www.hockeygoalies.org/bio/berthiaume.html
  2. "Sports People: PRO HOCKEY; Berthiaume Traded". The New York Times. January 23, 1990. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  3. Raider, Adam (December 1, 2014). Frozen in Time: A Minnesota North Stars History. University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 9780803249981.
  4. Springer, Steve (January 21, 1992). "Star-Crossed Berthiaume Goes to Bruins in Trade". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  5. http://hockeygoalies.org/bio/lemelin.html
  6. "Hockey". June 11, 1992. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  7. Associated Press (Dec 17, 1992). "Transactions". The Item. p. 6D.
  8. "TRANSACTIONS". The New York Times. March 22, 1994. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  9. http://scottywazz.blogspot.ca/2009/09/absurd-goalie-monday-pokey-and-bandit.html
  10. Scott, Jon C. (2006). Hockey Night in Dixie: Minor Pro Hockey in the American South. Heritage House Publishing Company Ltd. p. 10. ISBN 1-894974-21-2.
  11. Frye, Jason (May 26, 2015). Moon Blue Ridge Parkway Road Trip: Including Shenandoah & Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. Avalon Travel Publishing. p. 117. ISBN 978-1631210310.
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