| Left winger Ken Berry had the natural
gift of scoring goals as a kid growing up in Bellingham. In 1977-78
he popped home 57 goals and 130 points in 65 games for the Bellingham Blazers
of the BCJHL. He was called up for the last five games of the New
Westminster Bruins regular season and was also a key contributor in the
playoffs, helping the club to its second consecutive Memorial Cup championship. |
| Although it appeared Berry would
return to the Bruins with two more years of eligibility remaining, he wanted
to pursue an education and decided to lace up the skates with the University
of Denver. During the 1979-80 season he took a one-year leave from
school when he was presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity to play
for his country on the Canadian National Team which culminated with a spot
on the 1980 Olympic Team. Although Canada failed to win a medal in
Lake Placid, it was an invaluable experience for Berry. |
| Berry was Vancouver's fifth pick,
112th overall in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft. That fall he decided to
return to the University of Denver for another year. At the conclusion
of the NCAA season he turned pro, playing nine games with the CHL's Wichita
Wind. |
| In March, 1981 Berry was traded
to the Edmonton Oilers. In 1981-82 he got his first taste of NHL
action, playing 15 games with the Oilers where he had two goals and five
points. After an entire season in Moncton of the AHL he was back
in the Oilers lineup for 13 more games in 1983-84. |
| Late in the 1985-86 season, Berry
was approached by Canadian National Team coach Dave King about returning
to the club to play internationally. He spent two full seasons with
the team with the final goal being a participant in his second Olympics.
There was added incentive with the 1988 Games being held in Calgary.
Despite a strong effort, Canada again went home disappointed, failing to
win a medal. |
| Immediately after the conclusion
of the Olympics, Berry signed a free-agent contract with the Vancouver
Canucks on the basis of his strong play at the Games. He played in
the last 14 games of the NHL season. In 1988-89 he played another
13 games with the Canucks, the last time he played in the league. |
| Berry, who was quite familiar with
international hockey with a wealth of experience playing for Canada, played
the last four years of his pro career in Munich, Germany. |
KEN BERRY #19
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