Gary Bergman
| Gary Bergman | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1938 Kenora, Ontario |
| Died | 2000 |
Gary Bergman (1938–2000) was a professional hockey defenceman from Kenora who played over 800 games in the National Hockey League and represented Canada in the 1972 Summit Series. Gary Bergman was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 1986 as an athlete.[1]
Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame
Gary Bergman was inducted into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame on 27 September 1986 in the athlete category for hockey, rowing, curling and football, representing Kenora.[1]
Career
Born in Kenora, Ontario, Bergman was a multi-sport athlete during his high school years, competing in Rowing, Curling, and Football. His skills on the football field were significant enough to earn a contract offer from the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League in 1959. He chose to turn down the professional football opportunity to focus on his career in Hockey.[1]
His hockey journey began at the intermediate level with the Kenora Thistles. During the 1958-59 season, he joined the Winnipeg Braves and helped the club capture the Memorial Cup. He advanced to the Winnipeg Warriors of the WHL the following year. Between 1960 and 1964, he developed his game in the American Hockey League, skating for the Buffalo Bisons, Cleveland Barons, Quebec Aces, and Springfield Indians.[1]
In the 1964-65 season, Bergman reached the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings. He remained a fixture on the Detroit blue line for a decade, known for his physical style of play. During his tenure with the Red Wings, he was named the team's most valuable defenceman in 1967 and for three consecutive years from 1971 to 1974. He also participated in the NHL All-Star Game in 1973. After a brief stint with the Minnesota North Stars in the 1974-75 season, he returned to Detroit before concluding his professional career with the Kansas City Scouts in 1975-76.[1]
On the international stage, Bergman was a key member of Team Canada during the 1972 Summit Series against the Soviet Union. He was one of only seven Canadian players to appear in every one of the eight games during the historic competition. His defensive reliability was credited as a major factor in the series victory. For his role in this event, he was later inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in the team category in 2000. He finished his NHL career with a total of 367 points across 838 regular season contests.[1]
Honours and achievements
- Won the Memorial Cup with the Winnipeg Braves in 1958-59
- Named the Detroit Red Wings most valuable defenceman in 1967, 1971, 1972, 1973, and 1974
- Selected to play in the 1973 NHL All-Star Game
- Played in all eight games for Team Canada during the 1972 Summit Series
- Recorded 367 points in 838 career National Hockey League regular season games
- Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000 as a member of the 1972 Team Canada squad[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 "Gary Bergman", athlete profile, Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame, https://www.nwosportshalloffame.com/athlete-profile/52e1e41c-e339-413f-9c73-ce0a466717cb (accessed 31 October 2026). Archived copy on datum.locker.