Sergei Berezin

For Soviet football player and Russian coach, see Sergei Berezin (footballer).

Sergei Berezin
Born (1971-11-05)November 5, 1971
Voskresensk, Moscow Oblast,
Russian SFSR, USSR
Died June 26, 2024(2024-06-26) (aged 52)
Windermere, Florida, U.S.
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb)
Position Left wing
Shot Right
Played for Khimik Voskresensk
Kölner Haie
Toronto Maple Leafs
Phoenix Coyotes
Montreal Canadiens
Chicago Blackhawks
Washington Capitals
HC CSKA Moscow
National team  Russia
NHL draft 256th overall, 1994
Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career 1990–2004
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing  Soviet Union
World Junior Championships
Silver medal – second place 1991 Canada Team

Sergei Yevgenyevich Berezin (Russian: Серге́й Евгеньевич Березин; November 5, 1971 – June 26, 2024) was a Russian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1996–97 through 2002–03. Berezin, who played left wing in the NHL, was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the tenth round (#256 overall) of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. He played with the Leafs until being traded to the Phoenix Coyotes in 2001. At the end of the season he was flipped to the Montreal Canadiens where he scored their 10,000th goal on home ice. In the offseason he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks before being sent to the Washington Capitals in a trade deadline day deal. He retired from the NHL and returned to Russia to play a final season before ending his career completely.

Playing career

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From 1990–1994 Berezin played in Russia for Khimik Voskresensk where, in 1993–1994, he picked up 41 points in 40 games.[1] He was selected in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft in the 10th round, 256th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs.[2] After being selected, Berezin played in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) for the Kölner Haie (Cologne Sharks) where he registered 137 total points in 88 games played.[1]

In his first season in the NHL (1996–97) Berezin scored 25 goals and had 41 points in 73 games.[2] This production was enough to earn a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team.[3] His best NHL season was in 1998–99 when he scored 37 goals and 59 points.[2] After the 2000–01 season Berezin was traded from Toronto to the Phoenix Coyotes for Mikael Renberg.[4] He was considered speedy and great in the offensive zone but not great defensively.[5] He was known for losing his helmet during play, once losing his helmet on every single shift in a November 1996 game.[6][7]

Over the next two seasons, Berezin would play for four different NHL franchises. In the 2001–02 season Berezin was traded by the Coyotes to the Montreal Canadiens for Brian Savage and a third round draft pick.[8] While playing in a home game for the Canadiens, Berezin scored the franchise's 10,000th home goal.[9] He ended the season with 11 goals and 26 points in 70 games. In the off-season Montreal traded him to the Chicago Blackhawks for a fourth round draft choice.[5] At the trade deadline during the 2002–03 season he was shipped by the Blackhawks to the Washington Capitals for a fourth round draft choice, finishing the year with the Capitals.[10] He retired from the NHL in 2003 and returned to Russia to play a single season with CSKA Moscow.[6][1] He finished his career in the NHL with 502 games played while registering 286 points.[2]

Personal life and death

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Berezin resided in Florida following his retirement from hockey.[8] He died in Windermere on June 26, 2024, at the age of 52. No cause of death was given but it was reportedly sudden.[11]

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1989–90 SKA MVO Kalinin USSR II 8 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1990–91 Khimik Voskresensk USSR 30 6 2 8 4 — — — — —
1991–92 Khimik Voskresensk CIS 36 7 5 12 12 7 0 0 0 2
1992–93 Khimik Voskresensk IHL 38 9 3 12 12 2 1 0 1 0
1993–94 Khimik Voskresensk IHL 40 31 10 41 16 3 2 0 2 2
1994–95 Kölner Haie DEL 43 38 19 57 10 18 17 8 25 8
1995–96 Kölner Haie DEL 45 49 31 80 8 14 13 9 22 10
1996–97 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 73 25 16 41 2 — — — — —
1997–98 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 68 16 15 31 10 — — — — —
1998–99 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 76 37 22 59 12 17 6 6 12 4
1999–2000 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 61 26 13 39 2 12 4 4 8 0
2000–01 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 79 22 28 50 8 11 2 5 7 2
2001–02 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 41 7 9 16 4 — — — — —
2001–02 Montreal Canadiens NHL 29 4 6 10 4 6 1 1 2 0
2002–03 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 66 18 13 31 8 — — — — —
2002–03 Washington Capitals NHL 9 5 4 9 4 6 0 1 1 0
2003–04 CSKA Moscow RSL 16 1 3 4 14 — — — — —
IHL totals 78 40 13 53 28 5 3 0 3 2
DEL totals 88 87 50 137 18 32 30 17 47 18
NHL totals 502 160 126 286 54 52 13 17 30 6

International

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Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
1991 Soviet Union WJC 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 7 3 1 4 6
1994 Russia OG 4th 8 3 2 5 2
1994 Russia WC 5th 6 2 1 3 2
1995 Russia WC 5th 6 7 1 8 4
1996 Russia WC 4th 8 4 5 9 2
1996 Russia WCH SF 2 1 0 1 0
1998 Russia WC 5th 6 6 2 8 2
Senior totals 36 23 11 34 12

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Sergei Berezin". Hockeydb.com. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d "Sergei Berezin". NHL.com. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  3. ^ "Islanders' Berard Makes All-Rookie Team". The New York Times. Associated Press. June 3, 1997. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  4. ^ "Leafs acquire Renberg". CBC Sports. June 23, 2001. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Habs send Berezin to Chicago". CBC Sports. June 30, 2002. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Sergei Berezin". Montreal Canadiens. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  7. ^ Brown, Justin (December 2008). "Everything You Need to Know to Survive a Conversation on Sports". Primer Magazine. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  8. ^ a b Stein, David P. (February 2, 2017). "Ex-Canadien Sergei Berezin part of Andrei Markov's secret to success". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  9. ^ "Canadiens Make History With 10,000th Goal". Lakeland Ledger. January 28, 2022. Retrieved November 8, 2022 – via Google News.
  10. ^ La Canfora, Jason (March 12, 2003). "Capitals Must Wing It on Deadline". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 8, 2022.
  11. ^ "Former Maple Leafs forward Sergei Berezin dead at 52 – Sportsnet.ca". www.sportsnet.ca. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
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