A veteran NHLer is trying to find a way to stay in North America. For Marc-Andre Bergeron, the next step in his fight back into the NHL ranks will begin with a professional tryout with the AHL’s Cleveland Monsters. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that an agreement is imminent between the reigning American League champions and the long-since-departed defenseman. Bergeron failed to secure a contract from his PTO with the parent club, the Columbus Blue Jackets, this preseason.
Bergeron’s return across the Atlantic this season comes as a bit of a surprise. The offensive blue liner has had three strong seasons in a row with the NLA’s ZSC Lions in Switzerland, recording a combined 78 points and helping to lead the team to the 2013-14 league championship and two subsequent playoff runs. However, at 36 years old, Bergeron is three years removed from playing the physical style of North American hockey. The biggest criticism of Bergeron over the years has been that his size (5’9″, 190 lbs.) and offense-first style make him a liability in his own zone. A -12 overall in his NHL career, there’s little question as to the lack of defensive effectiveness that Bergeron brought to the table. Age and unfamiliarity with the pace of NHL play made it very unlikely that Bergeron could convince a team to take a chance on him at this point in his career, yet he still signed on for a tryout with the Blue Jackets this fall. Bergeron was an early cut from camp then, and it is definitely possible that the Monsters also decide not to extend a contract to the journeyman.
Bergeron did have plenty of success in his NHL career, though. The Quebec native went undrafted, but after a 101-point season with the QMJHL’s Shawnigan Cataractes in 2000-01, he earned a contract with the Edmonton Oilers. In 189 games over four seasons with Edmonton, Bergeron recorded 88 points and a +9 rating, playing a tough and fast brand of hockey. Having built a reputation with the Oilers, Bergeron was able to put together a ten-year NHL career, playing with the New York Islanders, Anaheim Ducks, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, Tampa Bay Lightning and Carolina Hurricanes after his time in Edmonton. However, he was never truly able to replicate the level of play he showed early in his career. This is evidenced by his inability to stay in any one place for too long and also his label as a pure powerplay specialist. More than half of Bergeron’s career points have come with a man up. Armed with a strong shot and great skating and possession ability, Bergeron was a bona-fide offensive threat, but was unable to develop the solid defensive game he showed flashes of in his early days in Edmonton.
Set to join the AHL affiliate of the Blue Jackets, Bergeron likely has his eye on an NHL comeback. However, it won’t be with Columbus. The agreement between the two teams earlier this season seemed strange then, and it is an even worse fit now. The Jackets feature one of the best groups of offensive defensemen in the leagued, highlighted by breakout rookie sensation Zach Werenski, fellow recent first-round picks Seth Jones and Ryan Murray and veteran puck-mover Jack Johnson. The team is also second in the league on the power play, with a 24.6% success rate. Of all the teams likely to be desperate enough for blue line offense to sign Bergeron this year or next, Columbus is one of the least. For now, Bergeron should simply focus on carving out a role in Cleveland before getting ahead of himself. His competition for play time will include 2013 second-rounder Dillon Heatherington, the recently acquired Ryan Stanton, and former UMass fan-favorite Oleg Yevenko. If Bergeron is able to turn his PTO into a contract and secure some real ice time, he may turn some heads with his offensive ability. In the end though, Bergeron’s time in the NHL has likely come and gone and this AHL deal probably represents an opportunity to play and secure a pay check closer to home.