Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 22, 1995 TAG: 9503220049
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
It wasn't that long ago that Daniel Berthiaume was tending goal on the same ice as Wayne Gretzky, stopping shots in the Stanley Cup playoffs and hanging out with rock 'n' roll stars.
But all that seems a lifetime ago for Berthiaume, the star goaltender for the Roanoke Express. At 29, he should be in the prime of his NHL career. Instead, he is in Roanoke.
``Having the best time of my career,'' he said.
Berthiaume says that with sincerity. Since being sold to the Express by Erie on Feb. 9, Berthiaume has set an East Coast Hockey League record with 13 consecutive victories as the Express vaulted into first place in the ECHL's East Division.
Despite a slump last week - the Express and Berthiaume are winless in four straight games heading into Thursday's opener of the Riley Cup playoffs - the season has been a resounding success. Berthiaume, who has won 15 times in 21 appearances for Roanoke, has been embraced by fans and has emerged as a team leader.
His play is flashy - he makes routine saves look spectacular by snatching pucks out of the air and falling on his backside, or by flaring his legs out ``butterfly-style'' and kicking pucks away.
In the process, Berthiaume is making his greatest save. He is saving his reputation, and making a case that he can once again be an NHL-caliber goalie.
``There's a little more in life than just thinking about yourself,'' Berthiaume said. ``In the NHL, there are a lot of egos. At this level [in the ECHL], guys play because they love hockey. Roanoke has been great. The organization is great, the fans are great. Right now, I am very happy.''
He has matured since making his NHL debut at age 20 with a 1986 playoff appearance for the Winnipeg Jets. A third-round draft choice in 1985, Berthiaume earned the nickname ``Bandit'' as a hotshot rookie for his ability to steal goals from the NHL's big guns.
He last appeared in an NHL game a year ago, when he allowed two goals in one minute for the lowly Ottawa Senators. It was an ignominious ending to an NHL career that spanned 215 games and parts of nine seasons.
Or was it the end? Berthiaume would like to latch on with an IHL club next season and put himself one phone call from returning to the NHL. But ...
``No,'' he said. ``They don't want me anymore.''
The NHL doesn't want the old Daniel Berthiaume, the sometimes moody kid who had a troublesome reputation. He was a butterfly goalie in the crease and a social butterfly out of it. He changed scenery more times than a veteran Broadway stagehand, playing for five NHL teams and compiling an 81-90-21 NHL record with a 3.67 goals-against average.
``At one point in his career, he was an outstanding goaltender,'' said Larry Rauch, Berthiaume's agent. ``I have great faith in Daniel Berthiaume. He never had the right opportunity at the right time. He's putting the past behind him.''
The once-restless Berthiaume now seems relaxed and content with his role as a veteran leader on a young club. He has made many friends in Roanoke with a combination of on-ice panache, an outgoing personality and a winsome smile.
``Daniel knows better than anyone why he isn't in the NHL,'' said Express coach Frank Anzalone, who worked out the deal that brought Berthiaume to Roanoke. ``Now, he's trying to get back up to the IHL. He can do it. He's still a great goaltender.''
Four years ago, Berthiaume was one of the NHL's hottest goalies. He split time with Kelly Hrudey and won 20 games for the Smythe Division-champion Los Angeles Kings in 1990-91, Gretzky's third year with the club.
He became a popular guy in Los Angeles off the ice, as well. He hung out with members of the rock bands Guns 'n' Roses and Motley Crue, and he regularly associated with the movie stars who attended Kings games. It was not unusual for Berthiaume to leave the locker room and find stars such as Tom Cruise, Rob Lowe, Kurt Russell, Michael J. Fox and John Candy waiting to meet him.
``There would be photographers in the locker room taking pictures of those guys,'' Berthiaume said. ``I was kind of a fast-living guy. I liked to go out. I don't think the Kings were too crazy about that. I never did anything wrong when I was in LA. I was just a young guy.''
Before that, he helped the Jets advance to the second round of the 1987 playoffs by winning four postseason games, then won 22 games in 1987-88.
Things began to sour during his third season with the Jets. Following a loss to Quebec, a newspaper reporter said he witnessed Berthiaume curse at a young fan who asked for an autograph. Berthiaume immediately denied the allegation, even though two Canadian newspapers reported the incident. The Jets asked him to make an apology on national television.
``I told them, `I'll do it, but I didn't do anything wrong,''' he said. ``If I insulted anybody, I'm sorry. I proved it was untrue, but it was written in the papers and the fans read it. They believed what they read. It was totally false. I mean, I love kids. That got me chased out of Winnipeg.''
Berthiaume always was misunderstood in Winnipeg, literally. A French-speaking native of Longueuil, Quebec, Berthiaume spoke no English when he joined the Jets, which probably led to his reputation of being aloof.
``I had a hard time with the press,'' Berthiaume said. ``I'm not saying it was all their fault.''
Again, that was a lifetime ago.
``Everybody thinks they can play forever,'' Berthiaume said. ```Forever' is not too far from the end for me. Now, I enjoy things a lot more.''
by CNB