| | CRANSTON, R.I. -- Bryan Berard hopes to play hockey again
after being accidentally blinded in one eye with the blade of a
stick last month.
"My life is hockey and it is a tough time for me right now
because I don't know if I will get back on the ice," he said
Wednesday. "But I believe I will."
|  | | Bryan Berard said he doesn't hold any animosity toward Marian Hossa. |
The Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman, wearing dark sunglasses,
appeared at a news conference in his first public remarks since the
March 11 injury.
Berard's mother Pam wiped away tears as her son discussed his
recovery. She and her husband, Wally Berard, wearing a Maple Leafs
jacket, declined to comment.
Doctors are uncertain if Berard will regain sight in his right
eye. The NHL forbids players with sight in just one eye from
competing.
"I believe that I will see out of this eye and get back on that
ice. With the support of my family, the Toronto organization and
the fans I just have to have faith in God that he can bring me back
my sight. I have to believe in that."
Berard, not wearing a visor, was hit by Marian Hossa's stick
during a game at Ottawa. Berard was left with a cut
cornea, detached retina and fractured orbital bone. The retina was
reattached during a 4½-hour operation March 21.
"That retina can become detached again with time if there is a
lot of scar tissue built up in the time," Berard said. "We just
have to wait.
"I know now that I still do have some blood in my eye. They
can't tell too much with that, they just have to wait until that
recycles. They hope that it is not dried up because if it is then
it will be another surgery procedure. It's just time."
Berard said he doesn't blame Hossa.
"It was an accident," Berard said. "It's part of the game. I
don't blame him in any way."
Berard said if he returns to hockey he probably won't use a
visor.
"I don't like to wear a visor," he said. "It can help you in
injuries. But I think with this injury, the way the stick came from
underneath, it maybe would have stopped some of the damage but it
still would have hit me in the eye.
"I think that's up to the player. If a guy feels more
comfortable on the ice wearing a visor, good. I mean we're
professional athletes. I think we can make that choice. I'm for and
I'm not for visors. I'm kind of in the middle."
But Berard said he is prepared if doctors tell him his career is
through.
"I'm still young, I'm 23 years old," he said. "I'm going to
give this the hardest fight of my life to get back on the ice. But
if not, there is something out there for me."
In 64 games this season, Berard had three goals and 27 assists.
The Leafs struggled after his injury, losing five of six games.
Berard was the No. 1 pick in the 1995 entry draft. After he
refused to play for Ottawa, the Senators traded him to the New York
Islanders. Toronto acquired him for goaltender Felix Potvin on Jan.
9, 1999.
In 1997, Berard won the Calder Trophy as the league's top
rookie. Besides his Olympics participation, Berard played for the
United States at the 1995 and 1996 world junior tournaments and at
the 1997 world championships.
| |
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Bryan Berard feels good about the progress of his recovery.
avi: 1000 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Berard doesn't believe a visor would have prevented the injury.
avi: 1000 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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