Phil Berger

Philip Berger is an American retired ice hockey right wing and coach who was an All-American for Northern Michigan and a member of the ECHL Hall of Fame.
==Career==
Berger began playing for the Northern Michigan Wildcats in 1985 but found it difficult to get into games. In his first two seasons, Berger played in only about half of NMU's contests but did show some improvement as a sophomore. In his junior season, Berger finally played most of the games and his scoring production skyrocketed. He nearly quadrupled his career scoring totals and finished in the top 10 in the nation. He was named an All-American and scored almost a quarter of Northern Michigan's goals for the season. Unfortunately, the wildcats weren't very good and knocked out in the conference quarterfinals. Berger's late blooming caused the Quebec Nordiques to take a flyer on him with the 3rd selection in the 1988 Supplemental Draft.
Though Berger's offensive numbers dipped in his senior season, he was again top-10 in the country and led the Wildcats to a renaissance. The Wildcats finished second in the WCHA and won their first WCHA Championship. Northern Michigan returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 8 years but were knocked out of the first round 1–2.
The following season, Berger began his professional career in the IHL but soon found himself demoted to the ECHL. He soon grew accustomed to the league and led the Greensboro Monarchs in scoring despite missing 14 games. He led the team on a run through the playoffs with 11 goals, 6 more than the next highest Monarch, and captured the Riley Cup as league champions. Berger got a brief promotion to the AHL the following year but spent the bulk of the year back in Greensboro. His scoring dropped for the regular season but his playoff performance was even more impressive, finishing 3rd overall despite Greensboro losing the championship.
In 1992, Berger Put together a spectacular season, averaging a goal per game as he played the entire year in Greensboro and led the league in scoring. He was named the ECHL MVP and led the Monarchs to the East Conference Championship. He was a force in the postseason again, leading his team in goals, assists and points, but Greensboro fell in the conference finals. He finished out the year with the Fort Wayne Komets, adding 6 points in 4 IHL postseason games. The massive amount of scoring he had done in 1992 led Berger receiving a promotion to the IHL in 1993 but, despite producing 7 points in 8 games, he eventually found himself back with the Monarchs. Even though he missed almost a third of the team's games he still finished second in scoring for Greensboro.
Berger had another monster season in 1994, leading the ECHL in scoring even with a brief callup to the AHL. The next season he split between Greenboro, Detroit and Schalker but a knee injury limited his effectiveness during the season. He returned in force for the postseason, again pacing the Monarchs as they marched to the Finals. In 1996, Berger briefly halted his playing career to take over as the head coach for the West Palm Beach Barracudas. He did so in part to give his knee a chance to recover and because the Barracudas' regular head coach, Bill Nyrop, had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He surrendered the reigns midseason and returned to the ECHL, however, because the Monarchs franchise had been promoted to the AHL, Berger joined the Charlotte Checkers. He played well at the end of the regular season but, as was his want, he turned up his scoring in the playoffs. He led all players with 10 goals and 27 points, helping the Checkers run through the postseason without a loss and capture the Riley Trophy. 
The following year, Berger ended up playing for five different teams in three different leagues, ending up on the El Paso Buzzards. He won the inaugural WPHL championship, again as a major contributor in the playoffs, and retired after the season. Berger returned two years later when the ECHL returned to Greensboro in the form of the Generals. He lasted just 5 scoreless games before retiring for good as the league's all-time leading scorer in the postseason. He was inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2011.
==Statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
  	  	  	 	Regular Season	Regular Season	Regular Season	Regular Season	Regular Season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1982–83 	Paddock Pool Saints 	GLJHL 	 	45 	29 	44 	73 	52 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1983–84 	Stratford Cullitons 	MWJHL 	 	38 	55 	55 	110 	101 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1984–85 	Stratford Cullitons 	MWJHL 	 	37 	43 	52 	95 	102 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1985–86 	Northern Michigan 	WCHA 	 	21 	5 	2 	7 	20 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1986–87 	Northern Michigan 	WCHA 	 	24 	11 	10 	21 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1987–88 	Northern Michigan 	WCHA 	 	38 	40 	32 	72 	22 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1988–89 	Northern Michigan 	WCHA 	 	44 	30 	33 	63 	24 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1989–90 	Fort Wayne Komets 	IHL 	 	3 	2 	2 	4 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1989–90 	Greensboro Monarchs 	ECHL 	 	46 	38 	44 	82 	119 	 	10 	11 	3 	14 	32
1990–91 	Halifax Citadels 	AHL 	 	4 	1 	0 	1 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1990–91 	Greensboro Monarchs 	ECHL 	 	44 	22 	34 	56 	112 	 	13 	11 	11 	22 	17
1991–92 	Greensboro Monarchs 	ECHL 	 	60 	60 	70 	130 	158 	 	11 	8 	13 	21 	56
1991–92 	Fort Wayne Komets 	IHL 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	 	4 	3 	3 	6 	0
1992–93 	Muskegon Fury 	CoHL 	 	4 	4 	7 	11 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1992–93 	Fort Wayne Komets 	IHL 	 	8 	2 	5 	7 	14 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1992–93 	Greensboro Monarchs 	ECHL 	 	45 	33 	42 	75 	135 	 	1 	1 	1 	2 	26
1993–94 	Cornwall Aces 	AHL 	 	2 	2 	1 	3 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	Greensboro Monarchs 	ECHL 	 	68 	56 	83 	139 	118 	 	8 	3 	5 	8 	12
1994–95 	Detroit Falcons 	CoHL 	 	15 	11 	15 	26 	29 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	Schalker Haie 87 	Germany2 	 	2 	0 	1 	1 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	Greensboro Monarchs 	ECHL 	 	40 	23 	27 	50 	114 	 	17 	6 	17 	23 	46
1995–96 	Charlotte Checkers 	ECHL 	 	23 	10 	14 	24 	80 	 	16 	10 	17 	27 	32
1996–97 	San Antonio Dragons 	IHL 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	Charlotte Checkers 	ECHL 	 	12 	5 	13 	18 	24 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	Raleigh IceCaps 	ECHL 	 	20 	3 	19 	22 	20 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	Hampton Roads Admirals	ECHL 	 	2 	1 	2 	3 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	El Paso Buzzards 	WPHL 	 	4 	4 	5 	9 	6 	 	9 	8 	7 	15 	18
1999–00 	Greensboro Generals 	ECHL 	 	5 	0 	0 	0 	10 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
MWJHL totals	MWJHL totals 	MWJHL totals	 	75 	98 	107 	205 	203 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NCAA totals 	NCAA totals 	NCAA totals 	 	127 	86 	77 	163 	72 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
CoHL totals 	CoHL totals 	CoHL totals 	 	19 	15 	22 	37 	31 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
ECHL totals 	ECHL totals 	ECHL totals 	 	365 	251 	348 	599 	892 	 	76 	50 	67 	117 	221
IHL totals 	IHL totals 	IHL totals 	 	15 	4 	7 	11 	16 	 	4 	3 	3 	6 	0
AHL totals 	AHL totals 	AHL totals 	 	6 	3 	1 	4 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Awards and honors==
Award 	Year 	
All-WCHA First Team 	1987–88	
AHCA West Second-Team All-American	1987–88	
All-WCHA Second Team 	1988–89	
WCHA All-Tournament Team 	1989 	
ECHL Riley Cup 	1990 	
ECHL Second Team All-Star 	1991–92	
ECHL First Team All-Star 	1993–94	
ECHL Riley Cup 	1996 	
WPHL President's Cup 	1997 	
==References==
==External links==
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Category:American men's ice hockey right wingers
Category:Northern Michigan Wildcats men's ice hockey players
Category:AHCA Division I men's ice hockey All-Americans
Category:Fort Wayne Komets players
Category:Greensboro Monarchs players
Category:Halifax Citadels players
Category:Muskegon Fury players
Category:Cornwall Aces players
Category:Detroit Falcons (CoHL) players
Category:Charlotte Checkers (1993–2010) players
Category:El Paso Buzzards players
Category:San Antonio Dragons players
Category:Raleigh IceCaps players
Category:Hampton Roads Admirals players
Category:Greensboro Generals (ECHL) players
Category:Quebec Nordiques draft picks
Category:National Hockey League supplemental draft picks