Jonathan Bernier
Jonathan Bernier | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 7, 1988 Laval, Quebec, Canada |
| Occupation | Professional ice hockey goaltender (retired) |
| Years active | 2007–2023 |
| Known for | NHL goaltender, Stanley Cup champion (2012) |
Jonathan Bernier (born August 7, 1988) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who competed for 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Selected 11th overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings, he spent his initial four NHL seasons with them before moving on to play for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, Colorado Avalanche, Detroit Red Wings, and New Jersey Devils. Bernier earned a Stanley Cup championship as a backup goaltender with the Kings in 2012.
Playing career
Bernier developed his early hockey skills in Laval, Quebec.
Junior
His entire junior tenure was with the Lewiston Maineiacs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). After being drafted by the Kings in 2006, he returned to Lewiston for the 2006–07 campaign, where he contributed to winning the President's Cup.
Los Angeles Kings
Bernier’s NHL debut took place on September 29, 2007, when he helped secure a 4–1 victory over the Anaheim Ducks in London, earning recognition as the game's second star. He appeared in four NHL contests that season before heading back to Lewiston.
In the 2008–09 season, Bernier joined the Kings' AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, playing in 54 games and posting a .914 save percentage. The following year, he served as Manchester’s starting goalie and was selected for the 2010 AHL All-Star Game. He was recalled to Los Angeles in March 2010 and achieved his first NHL shutout on March 30 against the Nashville Predators. After aiding Manchester’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals during the Calder Cup playoffs, Bernier remained Jonathan Quick’s backup for three subsequent seasons.
Bernier was included on the Kings' roster during their 2012 Stanley Cup victory, acting as an unused backup but having his name inscribed on the Cup. In the 2012–13 season, he started 14 games and recorded a shutout in a 3–0 win over the Minnesota Wild. His final record with Los Angeles stood at 29–18–6.
Toronto Maple Leafs
On June 23, 2013, Bernier was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in exchange for forward Matt Frattin, goaltender Ben Scrivens, and a second-round draft pick for either the 2014 or 2015.
During a September 22, 2013 preseason matchup against the Buffalo Sabres, Bernier engaged in his first professional fight with Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller. The Leafs emerged victorious with a 5–3 scoreline.
At the beginning of the 2013–14 season, Bernier shared goaltending responsibilities with James Reimer but eventually secured the starting position. On March 14, during his first game back in Los Angeles, he exited due to a lower-body injury and missed five games; during this period, Toronto posted a . On April 3, Bernier sustained another lower-body injury against the Boston Bruins that necessitated surgery. Reimer took over for the remainder of the season, but Toronto failed to qualify for the playoffs.
In December 2014, Bernier drew media attention after mistakenly describing former South African president and anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela as "one of the most known athletes in the world" at a Toronto charity event. He subsequently apologized and clarified that his intention was to honor Mandela's humanitarian contributions.
Anaheim Ducks
With one year remaining on his contract, Bernier was traded from the Maple Leafs to the Anaheim Ducks on July 8, 2016, in exchange for a conditional pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft (which ultimately was not exercised). Rejoining Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle, who had previously coached him in Toronto, Bernier took on the role of backup goaltender behind John Gibson during the 2016–17 campaign. He made his debut in a 3–2 defeat to the defending champion Pittsburgh Penguins on October 15, 2016, and secured his first win with Anaheim in a 4–1 triumph over the Calgary Flames on November 6.
Later in the season, Bernier assumed starting duties when Gibson was sidelined by injury, going unbeaten in regulation across 13 straight games and concluding with 21 wins over 39 appearances. He achieved two shutouts against the Arizona Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks. Although Gibson returned for the postseason, Bernier saw action in relief during a 5–4 comeback victory against the Flames. In the Western Conference Finals, Bernier replaced an injured Gibson but conceded four goals in his initial playoff start as the Ducks were eliminated by the Nashville Predators.
Colorado Avalanche
Upon the expiration of his Ducks contract on July 1, 2017, Bernier entered free agency and quickly signed a one-year deal worth $2.75 million with the Colorado Avalanche. His 2017–18 season was hampered by multiple injuries, including an upper-body injury sustained on October 25, 2017, along with two head injuries in February and March of 2018 that caused him to miss several games. Furthermore, an infection late in March sidelined him for an additional three contests.
Despite these challenges, Bernier started Game 1 of the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Nashville Predators due to starter Semyon Varlamov’s injury. However, Bernier himself was injured during Game 4 and was replaced by Andrew Hammond, who took over for the following two games as Colorado was eliminated in six games.
Detroit Red Wings
After becoming a free agent following the conclusion of his contract in summer 2018, Bernier signed a three-year contract worth $9 million with the Detroit Red Wings on July 1, 2018. Serving primarily as backup to starting goaltender Jimmy Howard, Bernier notably recorded two assists in a game against the Boston Bruins on November 8, 2019—marking the first time a Red Wings goalie had achieved multiple assists in a single game since Jim Rutherford accomplished the feat during the 1979 season.
New Jersey Devils and retirement
On July 22, 2021, Bernier was traded by Detroit along with a third-round draft pick to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic. Unable to agree on terms with Carolina, he subsequently signed a two-year contract worth $8.25 million with the New Jersey Devils on July 28, 2021.
Following extensive absences due to injury that caused him to miss nearly all of the 2021–22 season and all of the 2022–23 season, Bernier announced his retirement from professional hockey on August 21, 2023.
Personal life
On July 23, 2016, Bernier wed Canadian model Martine Forget. The couple has three children: two sons, Tyler (born August 2014) and Brady (born April 2019), as well as a daughter, Ivy (born December 2020). In 2012, Bernier served as a groomsman at the wedding of Meghan Agosta and Marco Marciano, who is the goaltending coach for the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in the QMJHL.
Bernier's elder sibling, Marc-André Bernier, was selected in the second round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | OTL | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–05 | Lewiston Maineiacs | QMJHL | 23 | 7 | 12 | 3 | 1,353 | 67 | 0 | 2.97 | .907 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1.000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–06 | Lewiston Maineiacs | QMJHL | 54 | 27 | 26 | 0 | 3,241 | 146 | 2 | 2.70 | .908 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 359 | 17 | 1 | 2.84 | .914 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–07 | Lewiston Maineiacs | QMJHL | 37 | 26 | 10 | 0 | 2,186 | 94 | 2 | 2.58 | .905 | 17 | 16 | 1 | 1,025 | 40 | 1 | 2.34 | .919 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–08 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 238 | 16 | 0 | "4.03 | " .864 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "2007–08 QMJHL season" | "Lewiston Maineiacs" | "QMJHL" | "34" | "18" | "12" | "3" | "2,024" | "92" | "0" | "2.73" | " .908" | "6" | "2" | "4" | "348" | "17" | "0" | "2.93" | " .918" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2007–08 AHL season) | (Manchester Monarchs) | (American Hockey League) | (3) | (1) | (1) | (1) | (184) | (5) | (0) | (1.63) | ( .946) | (3) | (0) | (3) | (195) | (9) | (0) | (2.76) | ( .908) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2008–09 AHL season) | (Manchester Monarchs) | (AHL) | (54) | (23) | (24) | (4) | (3,101) | (124) | (5) | (2.40) | ( .910) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2009–10 AHL season) | (Manchester Monarchs) | (AHL) | (58) | (30) | (21) | (6) | (3,424) | (116) | (9) | (2.03) | ( .936) | (16) | (10) | (6) | (996) | (30) | (3) | (1.81) | ( .939) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2009–10 NHL season) | (Los Angeles Kings) | (NHL) | (3) | (3) | (0) | (0) | (185) | (4) | (1) | (1.30) | (
.957) |
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| (2010–11 NHL season) | (Los Angeles Kings) | (NHL) | (25)!
(11)! (8)! (3)! (1,378)! (57)! (3)! (2.48)! (.913)! |
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| (2011–12 NHL season) | (Los Angeles Kings) | (NHL) | (16)!
(5)! (6)! (2)! (890)! (35)! (1)! (2.36)! (.909)! |
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| (2012–13 NHL season) | (Los Angeles Kings) | (NHL) | (14)!
(9)! (3)! (1)! (768)! (24)! (1)! (1.88)! (.922)! (1)! (0)! (0)! (30)! (0)! (0)! (0.00)! (1.000)! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2013–14 NHL season) | (Toronto Maple Leafs) | (NHL) | (55)!
(26)! (19)! (7)! (3,084)! (138)! (1)! (2.68)! (.923)! |
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| (2014–15 NHL season) | (Toronto Maple Leafs) | (NHL) | (58)!
(21)! (28)! (7)! (3,177)! (152)! (2)! (2.87)! (.912)! |
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| (2015–16 NHL season) | (Toronto Maple Leafs) | (NHL) | (38)!
(12)! (21)! (3)! (2,147)! (103)! (3)! (2.88)! (.908)! |
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| (2015–16 AHL season) | (Toronto Marlies) | (AHL) | (4)! (3)! (0)! (1)! (240)! (5)! (3)! (1.25)! (.948)! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (2016–17 NHL season) | (Anaheim Ducks) | (NHL) | (39)! (21)! (7)! (4)! (1,994)! (83)! (2)! (2.50)! (.915)! (4)! (1)! (2)! (183)! (10)! (0)! (3.28)! (.873)!- | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Detroit Red Wings |NHL |35 |9 |18 |5 |1,860 |98 |1 |3.16 |.904 | - | Detroit Red Wings |NHL |46 |15 |22 |3 |2,566 |126 |1 |2.95 |.907 | - bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | Detroit Red Wings |NHL |24 |9 |11 |1 |1,307 |65 |0 |2.99 |.914 | - | New Jersey Devils |NHL |10 |4 |4 |1 |511 |26 |0 |3.06 |.902 | - ALIGN="centre" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" | NHL totals !404 !165 !163 !40 !22,105 !1,022 !18 !2.77 !.912 !9 !2 !5 !430 !24 !0 !3.35 !.885|}
International
Awards and honours
External links
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