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 (age 58)
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 1986–2005

Playing career

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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

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The Jets faced the Calgary 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 2 but after surrendering six goals, he was yanked, and Marc Behrend finished up the game. For Game 3, with the Jets on the brink 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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Awards

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  • 1996-97: Outstanding Goaltender (WPHL)

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV%
1981–82 Richelieu Éclaireurs QMAAA 30 20 8 2 1797 125 0 4.17 2 0 2 207 18 0 5.22
1982–83 Richelieu Riverains QMAAA 44 23 12 8 2607 171 0 3.94 5 2 3 296 23 0 4.66
1983–84 Drummondville Voltigeurs QMJHL 28 12 13 0 1562 131 0 5.03 .863 3 154 16 0 6.23 .828
1984–85 Drummondville Voltigeurs QMJHL 3 1 2 0 179 17 0 5.70 .837
1984–85 Chicoutimi Saguenéens QMJHL 56 40 11 2 3168 198 2 3.75 .885 14 8 6 770 51 0 3.97 .888
1985–86 Chicoutimi Saguenéens QMJHL 66 34 29 3 3718 286 1 4.62 .874 9 4 5 580 37 0 3.83 .900
1985–86 Winnipeg Jets NHL 1 0 1 68 4 0 3.51 .907
1986–87 Winnipeg Jets NHL 31 18 7 3 1755 93 1 3.18 .885 8 4 4 437 21 0 2.88 .900
1986–87 Sherbrooke Canadiens AHL 7 4 3 0 420 23 0 3.29 .883
1987–88 Winnipeg Jets NHL 56 22 19 7 3004 176 2 3.52 .882
1988–89 Winnipeg Jets NHL 9 0 8 0 443 44 0 5.96 .826
1988–89 Moncton Hawks AHL 21 6 9 2 1083 76 0 4.21 .879 3 1 2 180 11 0 3.67
1989–90 Winnipeg Jets NHL 24 10 11 3 1387 86 1 3.72 .871
1989–90 Minnesota North Stars NHL 5 1 3 0 240 14 0 3.49 .865
1990–91 Los Angeles Kings NHL 37 20 11 4 2119 117 1 3.31 .892
1991–92 Los Angeles Kings NHL 19 7 10 1 979 66 0 4.04 .878
1991–92 Boston Bruins NHL 8 1 4 2 399 21 0 3.16 .865
1992–93 EC Graz AUT 28
1992–93 Ottawa Senators NHL 25 2 17 1 1326 95 0 4.30 .871
1993–94 Ottawa Senators NHL 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 184.62 .000
1993–94 PEI Senators AHL 30 8 16 3 1640 130 0 4.76 .869
1993–94 Adirondack Red Wings AHL 11 7 2 0 552 35 0 3.80 .874 11 6 4 632 30 0 2.85 .898
1994–95 Providence Bruins AHL 2 0 1 1 126 7 0 3.32 .870
1994–95 Wheeling Thunderbirds ECHL 10 6 1 1 600 41 0 4.10 .867
1994–95 Roanoke Express ECHL 21 15 4 2 1196 47 0 2.36 .919 8 4 4 464 23 1 2.97
1994–95 Detroit Vipers IHL 5 2 3 331 14 0 2.53 .926
1995–96 Detroit Vipers IHL 7 4 3 0 401 19 2 2.84 .898
1995–96 Roanoke Express ECHL 39 22 13 3 2109 112 2 3.19 .907 2 0 2 116 6 0 3.09 .902
1996–97 Central Texas Stampede WPHL 54 30 20 0 3034 171 2 3.38 .900 11 5 6 678 43 1 3.80 .895
1997–98 Roanoke Express ECHL 30 17 8 3 1711 74 2 2.59 .909 2 2 0 120 4 0 2.00
1998–99 Roanoke Express ECHL 35 18 12 5 2105 97 2 2.76 .908 10 6 4 608 19 1 1.88 .943
1999–00 Roanoke Express ECHL 37 21 12 4 2103 87 2 2.48 .919 2 0 2 118 6 0 3.04 .870
2000–01 Roanoke Express ECHL 45 26 17 1 2604 104 4 2.40 .918 5 2 3 339 15 0 2.65 .917
2001–02 Roanoke Express ECHL 51 23 17 6 2847 129 4 2.72 .912 3 1 2 141 7 0 2.98 .883
2002–03 Greensboro Generals ECHL 53 30 14 5 2998 145 2 2.90 .915 8 4 4 483 24 0 2.98 .925
2003–04 Greensboro Generals ECHL 43 23 18 1 2518 151 0 3.60 .901
2004–05 Port Huron Beacons UHL 30 7 17 3 1601 95 0 3.56 .896
NHL totals 215 81 90 21 11,654 714 5 3.68 .878 14 5 9 807 50 0 3.72 .877

References

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  1. ^ "Daniel Berthiaume".
  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. ^ "Rejean Lemelin".
  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. ^ "The Strangest One of All: Absurd Goalie Monday: Pokey and the Bandit". 7 September 2009.
  10. ^ a b 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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