Dogged determination to advance
Beraldo hopes to make Ryerson Rams next step toward his pro career
Adrien Beraldo only turned 21 on Jan. 20, but in dog years — make that, Niagara Icedogs years — he’s much older than that.
Ontario Hockey League teams are limited to carrying three overagers, so the six-foot, 183pound, left-shooting defenceman was already an elder skatesman heading into his fourth, and final, season in the league and second with the Icedogs.
Beraldo, who had been acquired by the Icedogs early in the 2019-20 season after stints with the Peterborough Petes and Kingston Frontenacs, wants to follow in his father Paul’s footsteps and play professional hockey. He hoped to turn the heads of recruiters and scouts in the stands with a good year on the ice before going on to play at Ryerson University in Toronto.
COVID-19 is continuing to put those hopes on hold. On-again, off-again plans to return to play — perhaps, in bubbles throughout Ontario — stayed on the back burner after Premier Doug Ford’s stay-at-home order triggered a third provincewide lockdown.
In comparison, the OHL’S Canadian Hockey League counterparts — the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Western Hockey League — have both managed to play reduced schedules, including some games with fans in the stands.
“Obviously, it’s frustrating. I see the Western Hockey League, the Quebec league playing,” Beraldo said. “We’re the only league that’s not playing. It’s hard on you mentally to see that.”
Because Ohlers aren’t playing, teams the Quebec and Western leagues have been able to attract more scouts and recruiters.
“If you’re talking exposure, all the scouts are looking there,” he said. “That doesn’t help, but I think the OHL is working hard, they’re trying their best to get us to play. Hopefully, they can figure out something — or anything — for us to play.
“I think we really deserve it, and we need it.”
Instead of waiting for hockey to return on this side of the pond, the Hamilton native had intended to go overseas and compete in Division 1 in Slovakia.
“But with COVID and all the obstacles to get over there, I didn’t end up going there,” he said in an interview from his home in Stoney Creek.
In the meantime, Beraldo has been making do with skating and training “with a bunch of OHL guys in the area.”
“The skates have kind of changed, at the beginning we were just doing drills. Now, we’re starting to do more gamelike battle drills, stuff like that,” he said.
Besides working on all aspects of his game as he prepares to play at the U Sports level, Ber- aldo is focusing on getting stronger and faster, as well as working on his shot.
“It’s probably the same level (of play), if not higher,” he suggested. “U Sports hockey is unbelievable because most of the guys playing are former OHL players, and they’re also a lot older. You’re playing against guys who are 24, 25. More mature, stronger, smarter, faster.”
Beraldo isn’t worried about being ill-prepared to take the next step in what he hopes will be a long career playing hockey.
“I think, if anything, it would push me to be at my best. I thrive when I’m getting challenged,” he said. “I want to be challenged all the time.
“If I go to U Sports, I’m going to take that challenge, do my best and just try to excel at whatever level.”
He knows from his father the commitment and dedication needed to take hockey to the next level.
“Without him and my family, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Obviously, having him helps a lot with everything,” Beraldo said. “He tells me how much work you need to put in to get to the next level, how much work it takes to be a pro.
“A lot of kids really don’t understand it, so it helps when someone has been there, been through all the ups and downs, seen all the obstacles you can face.”
Paul Beraldo played professionally in England, Germany, Italy and Switzerland as well as the United States in a 14-year pro career after being drafted by the Boston Bruins in the seventh round of the 1986 NHL draft with the 139th pick. He saw action in 10 games for the Bruins and spent parts of three seasons in the American Hockey League with the Maine Mariners.
Adrien Beraldo lived in England as a one-year-old when his father was winding up his pro hockey career in Sheffield at age 33.
Beraldo doesn’t feel extra pressure on his shoulders as the son of a pro hockey player.
“No, I wouldn’t say there’s ‘pressure.’ My dad never pressured me. The family never pressured me to play hockey,” he said. “I grew up around it and fell in love with the game.
“I would say I put more pressure on myself. I want to be like my dad, play pro hockey, so all the pressure comes from me.
“There’s no real pressure, except the pressure that I give myself to be my best, to improve and get to the next level.”
Before committing to studying business commerce at Ryerson, Beraldo was talking to other schools in southern Ontario, as well as two in Eastern Canada, including Saint Marys.
“It’s a four-year commitment going to school and Ryerson is close to home,” he said. “I got into the program I wanted.”
Hockey also tipped the scales in Ryerson’s favour when the time came to make a decision.
“The facilities and the school are great,” Beraldo said. “You’re in Toronto — you’re in the hockey mecca of the world, or of Canada at least — so the exposure is going to be pretty good.”
Then, there’s the chance to catch up with some old ’Dogs, who like Beraldo, will be learning new tricks under head coach Johnny Duco. Elijah Roberts, who played out his over-age season in 2019-20, and Jackson Doherty, who committed to Ryerson in January, will be his teammates on the Rams.
“That’s good, too, when you know some guys already on the team,” he said. “It obviously helps when you’re moving into a new situation.”
Beraldo had five goals and 18 assists for 23 points in 45 games with the Icedogs last season. He played junior B with the then Ancaster Avalanche before making his OHL debut with Peterborough in 2017-18.
In November 2019, Niagara acquired Beraldo from Kingston for a 13th-round pick in the 2021 OHL Priority Selection.