Steve Bernier

Steve Bernier (born March 31, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger. He has previously played for the Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks,and the San Jose Sharks, who originally drafted him 16th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Junior career
After capturing the 2001 Air Canada Cup, while being named Tournament MVP, with the Gouverneurs de Ste-Foy, Bernier was drafted first overall in the 2001 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) Midget Draft. 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 exchanged for the 16th overall position, with which they drafted 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 7 goals and 10 assists in 20 playoff games. However, the Wildcats were eliminated by Gatineau 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 stats had dropped. Soon after being eliminated in the second round, the Sharks signed Bernier to his first pro contract, a three-year deal.

Professional career
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. In the playoffs, he added 1 goal and 5 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 an 8-0 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes. However, Bernier soon broke his toe and missed a month's worth of games. After rehabilitation and 10 games with Worcester (San Jose's new AHL affiliate), Bernier rejoined the Sharks in late February.

On February 26, at the 2007–08 trade dealine, Bernier was sent to the Buffalo Sabres along with a 1st round draft pick in exchange for 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.



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. Four days later, he was extended a one-year $2.5 million offer sheet by the St. Louis Blues, which the Canucks quickly matched. 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. 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. 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, he settled into a third-line checking role with linemates Kyle Wellwood and Mason Raymond in the latter stages of the season. Following the Canucks' second round elimination to the Chicago Blackhawks, Bernier was re-signed to a two-year contract worth $4 million on May 14, 2009.

In preparation for the 2009–10 season, Bernier reported to training camp 15 lb lighter.

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, the twenty-fifth selection (used to select Quinton Howden) to the Florida Panthers for Keith Ballard and Victor Oreskovich.

For the 2011-2012 Season, Bernier will attend the New Jersey Devils training camp on a tryout contract hoping to make the team.

International play
Bernier made his first international appearance at the 2001 World U-17 Challenge with Team Quebec. He tallied 6 points in 6 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. Bernier captured his second straight gold medal with Team Canada in a 3-0 win against Slovakia. He recorded 8 points in 7 games, finishing second in team scoring behind Marc-Antoine Pouliot.

Personal life
Bernier resided in the Yaletown neighbourhood as he played with the Vancouver Canucks.

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.

Transactions

 * June 22, 2003 - Selected in the first round, sixteenth overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.
 * February 26, 2008 - Traded to the Buffalo Sabres with a first-round draft pick in 2008 (Tyler Ennis) for Brian Campbell and a seventh-round draft pick in 2008 (Drew Daniels).
 * July 4, 2008 - Traded to the Vancouver Canucks for a second-round draft pick in 2010 and a third-round draft pick in 2009 NHL Entry Draft (Brayden McNabb).
 * July 8, 2008 - Signed a one-year $2.5 million contract offer sheet from the St. Louis Blues as a restricted free agent; Canucks matched the offer.
 * May 14, 2009 - Re-signed with the Canucks to a two-year, $4 million contract.
 * June 25, 2010 - Traded to the Florida Panthers with Michael Grabner and a first-round pick in 2010 (Quinton Howden) in exchange for Keith Ballard and Victor Oreskovich.