Bryan Fogarty

Bryan Charles Fogarty (June 11, 1969 – March 6, 2002) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played for the Quebec Nordiques, Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens.

A great star in the junior leagues and a high draft choice in the National Hockey League (NHL), his career was marred by persistent alcohol and drug use, which prevented him from playing a full season at any point and led to him being frequently traded.

Fogarty was an Ontario Hockey League (OHL) superstar in the late 1980s.

As a youth, Fogarty played in the 1982 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Brantford.

He was chosen first overall in the 1985 OHL draft by Ken Slater of the Kingston Canadians, ahead of future NHLers Adam Graves (sixth), Bryan Marchment (12th), Brendan Shanahan (13th), and Jody Hull (14th).

Scouts heaped praise upon Fogarty for his hockey sense and puck control.

Combined with his 6'2" 205 pound frame, Fogarty's skills made him one of the best junior players in Canadian hockey history.

Fogarty was drafted ninth overall by the Quebec Nordiques in 1987, six spots before Joe Sakic.

He lasted parts of three seasons in Quebec, then he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

He signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning as a free agent, and later the Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks, without actually playing for Tampa, Buffalo or Chicago.

Fogarty also spent a fair amount of time in the minors, playing in Halifax, New Haven, Muskegon, Cleveland, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Minnesota and Detroit.

He also played in Europe; in Davos, Milan and Hanover.

Both records still stand, as does his single game record for most assists by a defenceman (8), which he accomplished twice in the same season (1988–89).

After breaking Bobby Orr's 23-year-old record for goals (38) by a defenceman in a season and Cam Plante's Canadian junior record for points (140) in a season by a defenceman with 155 in 60 games with the Niagara Falls Thunder, he was named Canadian Major Junior Hockey Player of the Year in 1989.

Fogarty maintains the distinction of recording the last natural hat trick in Quebec Nordiques franchise history when he scored three straight goals on December 1, 1990, in a 4–2 home win over the Sabres.

He was the first Nordiques defenseman to record a hat trick.

Born in Montreal to parents Tom and Virginia, Fogarty was youngest of five.

He had two sisters, Lynn and Lori, as well as two brothers, Glen and Patrick.

Lori died of cancer at 38.

Fogarty and Wayne Gretzky had grown up in Brantford, Ontario.

Fogarty's talent was apparent right away.

Brantford Minor Hockey Association coordinator Bob Coyne told reporters that "he was a star. From the time he put skates on, he was better than everyone else. "We had seen Wayne (Gretzky).

Wayne had to work at it.

His game was outsmarting everybody else.

Fogarty's game was outperforming everybody else.

That's like comparing a Volkswagen to a Corvette."

Growing up, Fogarty listened to Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, sported a mullet and loved to hang out with his friends.

He started drinking at an early age.

When Fogarty was 15 he was already playing with players who were much older than him due to his exceptional skill level, and would frequent bars and strip clubs with the older players.

During his junior hockey days in the OHL he would take Niagara Falls Thunder coach Bill LaForge aside in the locker room and ask him in a whisper if his teammates hated him.

During his time with the Kingston Canadians he was known as "Tippy" because, according to teammate Marc Laforge, "he was always tipsy".

During his NHL days, he sought help on numerous occasions.

The Nordiques knew about his drinking problem and sent him to an alcohol rehab clinic in Minnesota, provided a psychologist, and housed him with a family in Quebec City.

They roomed him with another hockey player who was looking to straighten out his life: John Kordic.

Fogarty and Kordic met in a rehab center and became friends immediately.

In the fall and winter of 1991, Fogarty stayed clean with the help of Kordic.

However, in January 1992, Kordic began using drugs again and died of a heart attack in August of that year.

In 1999 Fogarty attempted a much-publicized comeback with the Toronto Maple Leafs' affiliate, the St. John's Maple Leafs.

He lasted 3 regular season games with them before being released.

In all he played nine seasons of pro hockey in seven leagues for 17 teams, retiring in 2001.