Toronto Maple Leafs: Whatever Happened to Sergei Berezin?

Sergei Berezin played 5 seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1996-2001.  Known as a pure goal-scorer, Berezin’s best NHL season came in 1998-99 where he would lead the Toronto Maple Leafs with 37 goals.

Scoring 20+ goals in 5 NHL seasons showed Sergei Berezin was a consistent threat, so whatever happened to Sergei Berezin?

Sergei Berezin was a late bloomer, but caught the attention of the Toronto Maple Leafs during his fourth season with Khimik Voskresensk in Russia when he scored 31 goals and 41 points in 40 games (eliteprospects.com).  Berezin was then drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 10th round (256 overall) of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft at the age of 21.

After being chosen by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Sergei Berezin joined Kölner Haie of the German DEL.  In 1994-95, Kölner Haie were league champions and Berezin was named DEL Player of the Year.  In 1995-96, Sergei Berezin would be named DEL Player of the Year for the second consecutive season after leading the league with 49 goals in 45 games. Stats from hockeydb.com

Sergei Berezin and the Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs would bring Sergei Berezin onto the big club for the 1996-97 season where he would amass 26 goals and 41 point in his 73 game NHL rookie season.  He was named to the NHL’s All Rookie Team as a 25 year old.

Sergei Berezin would suffer a sophomore slump during his second season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he would bounce back with a career year in 1998-99.  That season he would set career highs with 59 points and 37 goals.

Berezin was a big part of the Toronto Maple Leafs teams that made it to the Conference Finals in the 1999 playoffs and won the Northeast Divison title during the 1999-2000 season, and he continued to contribute until the day he was traded.

When the Toronto Maple Leafs traded Sergei Berezin, the trade never really made sense to me and it still doesn’t to this day.  After the 2000-01 season where he put up 22 goals and 50 points in 79 games, Sergei Berezin was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes for the rights to Mikael Renberg.

At the time, Mikael Renberg had just finished a great season in the Swedish Elite League.  He had previously decided that he was done with the NHL and before returning home to Sweden.  Apparently, then Toronto Maple Leafs GM, Pat Quinn, convinced Renberg to return to the NHL and acquired his rights.

Mikael Renberg was a great player and all, but Sergei Berezin had a great thing going with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mikael Renberg hadn’t had a great season since his first stint with the Philadelphia Flyers 5 years prior.

In retrospect, things worked out for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Mikael Renberg had a great season in 2001-02 with 52 points in 71 games and the team returned to the Conference Finals in the 2002 NHL Playoffs. Sergei Berezin on the other hand only had 7 goals in 41 games with the Phoenix Coyotes before he was traded once again. (Some info from wikipedia.com).

Sergei Berezin After the Toronto Maple Leafs

After playing half a season with the Phoenix Coyotes, Sergei Berezin was traded to the Montreal Canadiens for Brian Savage and a 3rd round pick (Matt Jones).  Though Berezin only mustered 4 goals in 29 games with Montreal, one of his goals was the 10,000th home ice goal in Montreal Canadiens history.

The next summer, Sergei Berezin would be traded again; this time to the Chicago Blackhawks for a 4th round pick (James Wyman).  Berezin would redeem himself a bit in Chicago with 18 goals and 31 points in 66 games but would find himself on the move once again.

Sergei Berezin would finish the 2002-03 season strong with 5 goals and 9 points in 9 games with the Washington Capitals after being acquired from Chicago for another 4th round pick (Micheal “R.J.” Anderson).

At the age of 31, Sergei Berezin decide he was done with the NHL and moved back home to Russia for one final season with CSKA Moscow of the Russian Super League before hanging up the skates for good.