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.
However, his hockey 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.
He was chosen first overall in the 1985 OHL draft by Ken Slater of the Kingston Canadians, ahead of several other future NHL players, including Adam Graves (6th), Bryan Marchment (12th), Brendan Shanahan (13th), and Jody Hull (14th).
[4] Slater says Fogarty attracted a lot of attention early on, and some of his games had as many as 40 scouts in attendance — "They couldn't believe the hockey sense and the puck control.
[1][5] That season, Fogarty scored an average of 2.583 points in his 60 games, and is the record holder in that category[update].
During the third period of the game, Fogarty scored his fourth assist with teammate Keith Primeau, for a total of seven points.
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.
[2][9] Fogarty was born in 1969 in Montreal, Quebec to parents Tom and Virginia, the youngest of five, and the family moved to Brantford when he was a young boy.
"[2] In February 1991, Fogarty checked into a rehab center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he met John Kordic.
[13][14] Nordiques general manager Pierre Pagé extended a job offer to Kordic, on the condition that he stay sober and off cocaine.
Pagé also made arrangements for Kordic and Fogarty to be roommates at the rehab center, hoping they could help each other stay sober.
He met his wife Jennifer while she was performing a modeling job at a charity event for the Penguins, and the two married in late 1992.
[9][8] Fogarty eventually relapsed and in January 1993 was suspended indefinitely from the Penguins, checking into rehab again shortly after.
He was granted a conditional discharge, placed on probation for one year, and was ordered to donate $500 to a local addiction service after he pleaded guilty to one count of mischief.
[9][17] He returned to Brantford to take over the family business, Fogarty's Mobile Canteen, while playing games for various minor league teams on the side.
Fogarty and his wife Jennifer's uncle, Thomas Branch, were staying at a motel called the Compass Cove, to do some deep sea fishing.
Offenburger expressed a similar sentiment, saying "his perception of hockey, and what he thought he had achieve [sic], caused him great stress.