Bryan Fogarty facts for kids

Bryan Charles Fogarty (June 11, 1969 – March 6, 2002) was a Canadian ice hockey defenceman. He played for the Quebec Nordiques, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Montreal Canadiens. Bryan set several records while playing in junior leagues. He was also a top choice in the National Hockey League (NHL) draft.

Playing Career

Bryan Fogarty started playing hockey when he was a young boy. His sister, Lynn, said that hockey was a big part of their family. Bryan wanted to play like the older kids. Bob Coyne, a coordinator for Brantford Minor Hockey, noticed Bryan's amazing skills right away. He even compared Bryan to Wayne Gretzky, another famous hockey player from Brantford. Coyne said that Bryan's game was all about outperforming everyone else.

In 1982, Bryan played in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He was part of a minor ice hockey team from Brantford.

In the mid-1980s, Bryan played in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He was picked first overall in the 1985 OHL draft by Ken Slater. Bryan was chosen before many other players who would later join the NHL. These included Adam Graves, Bryan Marchment, and Brendan Shanahan. Slater said that Bryan got a lot of attention. Sometimes, as many as 40 scouts would watch his games. They were amazed by his hockey sense and how well he controlled the puck.

Bryan was drafted ninth overall by the Quebec Nordiques in 1987. He finished the 1987–88 season with the Kingston Canadians. Then, he was traded to the Niagara Falls Thunder. The 1988–89 season with the Thunder was a truly special year for him. He broke several long-standing hockey records.

That year, Bryan scored 47 goals and made 108 assists. This broke the records for both most goals and most assists by a defenceman in one season. These records were previously held by Bobby Orr and Doug Crossman. His total of 155 points also broke the Canadian Hockey League record for most points by a defenceman in a single season. This record was previously held by Cam Plante. In that season, Bryan scored an average of 2.583 points in his 60 games. He still holds the record for that category. At the end of the year, Bryan was named the best major-junior player in Canada.

A sports psychologist named Max Offenburger worked with Bryan often. Max once asked the Thunder coach, Bill LaForge, about Bryan. LaForge called Bryan over and made a bet with him. If Bryan scored seven points in that night's game, he would win $50. If not, he would buy dinner for Max and LaForge. During the third period of the game, Bryan scored his fourth assist with his teammate Keith Primeau. This gave him a total of seven points. Afterward, he skated to the bench and asked LaForge, "I win. Do I have to play any more?"

During his time with the Nordiques, Bryan was still seen as an excellent player. He holds the record for scoring the last natural hat trick in Quebec Nordiques history. He scored three goals in a row on December 1, 1990. This happened in a 4–2 home win against the Sabres. He was the first Nordiques defenceman to ever score a hat trick.

Bryan was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1992. In 1993, the Penguins stopped him from playing for a while. Over the next few years, Bryan played for many different teams. He spent only a short time with each one.

In 1999, Bryan tried to make a comeback with the Toronto Maple Leafs' affiliate team, the St. John's Maple Leafs. He played only three regular season games with them before being released. He then played two more seasons with some minor league teams. He retired from hockey in 2001. In total, he played nine seasons of professional hockey in seven leagues for 17 teams.

Personal Life

Bryan Fogarty was born in 1969 in Montreal, Quebec. His parents were Tom and Virginia. He was the youngest of five children. His family moved to Brantford when he was a young boy. He had two sisters and two brothers.

Bryan met his wife, Jennifer, when she was modeling at a charity event for the Penguins. They got married in late 1992.

After his professional hockey career, Bryan returned to Brantford. He took over his family's business, Fogarty's Mobile Canteen. He also played games for various minor league teams on the side. According to Jennifer, the last part of Bryan's life was "completely different" and "peaceful." She said he didn't really miss hockey after retiring. She thought he might not have wanted to play professionally at all. In 2002, she told the Globe & Mail, "He missed the guys, he missed the camaraderie, but not the game."

Death

Bryan Fogarty passed away in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on March 6, 2002. He was staying at a motel with his wife Jennifer's uncle, Thomas Branch, to go deep sea fishing. The next morning, Branch could not wake Bryan. He called for emergency help. Bryan was taken to the Grand Strand Regional Center, where he was pronounced dead. The coroner reported that Bryan died because of an enlarged heart. He is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Brantford.

Both Jennifer and Max Offenburger believe that the stress from hockey played a big part in Bryan's death. Jennifer said that in hockey, he was expected to do everything. Offenburger felt the same way. He said that Bryan's thoughts about hockey and what he felt he had to achieve caused him a lot of stress. He was happiest when he was playing hockey just for fun.

Awards

• OHL First All-Star Team (1987, 1989)
• Red Tilson Trophy (OHL MVP) (1989)
• CHL Defenceman of the Year (1989)
• CHL Player of the Year (1989)
• U.A.P./N.A.P.A. AUTOPRO Plus-Minus Award (1989)

Records

• Last natural hat trick by a Nordiques defenceman (December 1, 1990, against Buffalo Sabres, 4–2 win)
• Most points in a season by a defenceman (CHL) - 155 (47 goals, 108 assists), 1988–89
• Most goals in a season by a defenceman (OHL) - 47, 1988–89
• Most assists in a season by a defenceman (OHL) - 108, 1988–89
• Most points in a game by a defenceman (OHL) - 8 (3 goals, 5 assists) - November 11, 1988 - vs. Sudbury Wolves