Gordon Arthur "Red" Berenson (born December 8, 1939 in Regina, Saskatchewan) is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre and is currently in his twenty-sixth year as NCAA head coach of the Michigan Wolverines.

[edit] Playing career

Berenson played junior ice hockey with the Regina Pats, participating in two Memorial Cups in 1956 and 1958. In 1959, Berenson played for the World Champion Belleville McFarlands.

Berenson moved on to, and graduated from, Michigan's School of Business and played collegiately at the University of Michigan, winning All-American honors there with an NCAA-leading 43 goals in his final year.

He signed thereafter with the Montreal Canadiens, playing five years in their system and being on a Stanley Cup-winning squad in 1965 before being traded to the New York Rangers, where he played parts of two seasons without success.

Seven weeks into the 1967/1968 NHL season the St. Louis Blues acquired Red Berenson along with Barclay Plager from the New York Rangers. It was with the Blues where he became one of the new Western Division's first great stars, leading the Blues to three straight Stanley Cup finals and being named the division's best player by his peers in The Sporting News' annual poll each of those years.

His most notable scoring feat came on November 7, 1968, in a road game against the Philadelphia Flyers. Berenson scored six goals, including four over a nine-minute span. He became the first player to score a double hat trick on a road game. ^[1] The six-goal total was one shy of the all-time NHL record (set by Joe Malone in 1920), and has been accomplished only once since.

Berenson was named team captain in 1970; however, already 31 years old, the Blues felt his skills could only decline, and traded him in what was considered a shocking deal to the Detroit Red Wings, a multi-player trade receiving centre Garry Unger in return. He was an impact player for Detroit for four seasons, but was having a poor fifth season when he was dealt back to the Blues. The trade rejuvenated him, and he was an effective player for three and a half more seasons before he retired after the 1977–1978 campaign.

Berenson played in the legendary eight-game Summit Series for Team Canada against the Soviet Union in 1972, as well as in the “old-timers” rematch of the Canada Cup in 1987. He played in six NHL All-Star Games.

Altogether, in 17 NHL seasons, Berenson recorded 261 goals and 397 assists in 987 games.

[edit] Coaching career

Berenson retired from playing in 1978 and joined the Blues' coaching staff. He became the team's head coach midway through the 1979–80 season. A year later, he won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL's coach of the year. He returned to his alma mater as head coach in 1984 and has remained in the position ever since. Berenson has led the Wolverines to 10 Frozen Four appearances, and NCAA championships in 1996 and 1998. In CCHA competition, his teams have won 10 regular-season and 8 tournament titles, and the Wolverines have not failed to secure a winning record since Berenson's second year at the helm. In addition, Berenson's squads have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in each of the last 19 seasons. This is the longest streak ever in college hockey history. His all-time record as Michigan's coach is 677–312–68, a record which currently places him 6th in NCAA history for career victories. The Wolverines have also won 11 Great Lakes Invitational titles under Berenson.

[edit] Legal trouble

Berenson was charged with drunken driving and public urination in March 1994.^[2] The charges were later reduced to driving while visibly impaired, and Berenson was allowed to continue coaching the Michigan hockey team.^[3]

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] See also

• List of players with 5 or more goals in an NHL game
• University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Red Berenson's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database
• Red Berenson's biography at Legends of Hockey
• Red of the Blues - TIME
• Profile from University of Michigan official site