Sergey Beryozin

Russian ice hockey player Sergey Beryozin began his career playing with SKA MVO Kalinin in the 1989–90 season before joining Khimik Voskresensk the following year. In the mid-1990s Beryozin played two seasons with the German team Kölner Haie before joining the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1996–97, playing in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played five seasons with the Maple Leafs followed by season-long spells at several other NHL teams including the Chicago Blackhawks and the Washington Capitals. During his time in the NHL he played in more than 500 games, along with more than 50 play-off matches. Beryozin returned to Russia for the 2003–04 season, playing his final domestic matches with CSKA Moskva.

On the international stage Beryozin first represented the Soviet Union at the 1991 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships where the team finished second to Canada. Following the break-up of the USSR he then played for Russia, finishing fourth at the ice hockey tournament at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics. From 1994 to 1998 the Russian team had four top-five finishes at the Ice Hockey World Championships, and reached the semi-finals of the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Beryozin was living in Windermere, Florida when he died suddenly at the age of 52.