Steve Bernier Steve Bernier ( born March 31 , 1985 ) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger . He has previously played for the Florida Panthers , Buffalo Sabres , Vancouver Canucks , and the San Jose Sharks , who originally drafted him 16th overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft . Playing career . Junior career . After capturing the 2001 Air Canada Cup , while being named Tournament MVP , with the Gouverneurs de Ste - Foy , Bernier was drafted first overall in the 2001 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League ( QMJHL ) Midget Draft . He played his entire four - season major junior career with the Moncton Wildcats . In his rookie year , he led Moncton in goals and finished fourth among QMJHL rookies in overall scoring ; he was named to the 2001 – 02 QMJHL All - Rookie Team . His most productive junior season came in his draft year , 2002 – 03 , when he scored 49 goals and 101 points , ninth in league scoring . He was named to the QMJHL Second All - Star Team . Going into the 2003 NHL Entry Draft , the San Jose Sharks traded their 21st , 66th and 107th selections in exchanged for the 16th overall position , with which they drafted Bernier . Upon being drafted , Bernier played two more seasons with Moncton and was named once more to the QMJHL Second All - Star Team in 2003 – 04 . Helping lead Moncton to the 2004 QMJHL Finals , he scored 7 goals and 10 assists in 20 playoff games . However , the Wildcats were eliminated by Gatineau in five games . In his fourth and final junior season , in 2004 – 05 , Bernier tallied 71 points ( tops in team scoring ) and 114 penalty minutes in 68 games , but it marked the second straight season his stats had dropped . Soon after being eliminated in the second round , the Sharks signed Bernier to his first pro contract , a three - year deal . Professional career . Bernier split his first professional season , 2005 – 06 , between the Sharks and their American Hockey League ( AHL ) affiliate , the Cleveland Barons . He scored 14 goals and added 13 assists in 39 games with the Sharks for a successful rookie season . His first NHL goal was scored on November 12 , 2005 against Marty Turco of the Dallas Stars . In the playoffs , he added 1 goal and 5 assists in 11 games , as San Jose was eliminated in the second round . Midway through his sophomore season , Bernier was sent back to the AHL after an 8 - 0 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes . However , Bernier soon broke his toe and missed a month ' s worth of games . After rehabilitation and 10 games with Worcester ( San Jose ' s new AHL affiliate ) , Bernier rejoined the Sharks in late February . On February 26 , at the 2007 – 08 trade dealine , Bernier was sent to the Buffalo Sabres along with a 1st round draft pick in exchange for Brian Campbell and a seventh round pick . The next day , in his Sabres debut , Bernier scored two goals on his first two shots and later added an assist , helping Buffalo to an 8 – 4 win over the Nashville Predators . At the time , Thomas Vanek wore number 26 for the Sabres , so Bernier chose the number 56 instead . As Bernier became a restricted free agent at the end of the season , he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a second round draft pick in 2010 and a third round draft pick in 2009 ( Los Angeles ' selection ) . While Bernier was admittedly surprised with the trade , he expressed approval in moving to Vancouver . Four days later , he was extended a one - year $ 2 . 5 million offer sheet by the St . Louis Blues , which the Canucks quickly matched . Playing in his first season with Vancouver , he injured both his left shoulder and left toe after missing a check on defenceman Brett Lebda and hitting the boards on November 24 , 2008 against the Detroit Red Wings . However , he was only briefly sidelined and , setting career - highs in assists and points , he was awarded the Fred J . Hume Award as the team ' s unsung hero . Although Bernier was seen at the start of the season as a promising candidate for the Canucks ' top line with the Henrik and Daniel Sedin , he settled into a third - line checking role with linemates Kyle Wellwood and Mason Raymond in the latter stages of the season . Following the Canucks ' second round elimination to the Chicago Blackhawks , Bernier was re - signed to a two - year contract worth $ 4 million on May 14 , 2009 . In preparation for the 2009 – 10 season , Bernier reported to training camp lighter . On June 25 , 2010 , during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft , Bernier was traded , along with Michael Grabner and the Canucks first round choice in the draft , the twenty - fifth selection ( used to select Quinton Howden ) to the Florida Panthers for Keith Ballard and Victor Oreskovich . For the 2011 - 2012 Season , Bernier will attend the New Jersey Devils training camp on a tryout contract hoping to make the team . International play . Bernier made his first international appearance at the 2001 World U - 17 Challenge with Team Quebec . He tallied 6 points in 6 games ; Quebec failed to medal . At the under - 18 level , he competed at the 2002 Eight Nations Tournament in Slovakia with Team Canada and captured gold . During his second year of major junior with Moncton , Bernier competed in the 2003 World U18 Championships in Russia . Bernier captured his second straight gold medal with Team Canada in a 3 - 0 win against Slovakia . He recorded 8 points in 7 games , finishing second in team scoring behind Marc - Antoine Pouliot . Personal life . Bernier resided in the Yaletown neighbourhood as he played with the Vancouver Canucks .