Blue Jackets recall Tim Berni, assign Brendan Gaunce

Nov 28, 2022

The Cleveland Monsters announced Monday that the Columbus Blue Jackets recalled defenseman Tim Berni and assigned forward Brendan Gaunce to Cleveland. In 15 appearances for Cleveland this season, Berni supplied 1-3-4 with ten penalty minutes and a +1 rating. Gaunce registered 0-1-1 with two penalty minutes in five appearances for Columbus this year and added 4-7-11 with 12 penalty minutes in ten games played for the Monsters.

 

A 6’0”, 181 lb. left-shooting native of Mannedorf, Switzerland, Berni, 22, was selected by the Blue Jackets in the sixth round (159th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. In 87 career AHL appearances, all for the Monsters, spanning parts of two seasons from 2021-22, Berni contributed 4-15-19 with 54 penalty minutes.

 

In 146 appearances for Zurich in Switzerland’s NL spanning parts of four seasons from 2017-21, Berni tallied 9-17-26 with 36 penalty minutes and helped his club claim the 2017-18 NL Championship. Berni also represented Switzerland in the 2017-18, 2018-19, and 2019-20 IIHF U20 World Junior Championships, wearing the captain’s “C” for the Swiss in 2019-20.

 

A 6’3”, 214 lb. left-shooting native of Sudbury, ON, Gaunce, 28, was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round (26th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. In 153 career NHL appearances for Vancouver, the Boston Bruins, and Columbus panning parts of seven seasons from 2015-20 and 2021-22, Gaunce logged 11-13-24 with 61 penalty minutes and added 86-101-187 with 177 penalty minutes and a +16 rating in 290 career AHL appearances for the Utica Comets, Providence Bruins, and Cleveland spanning parts of eight seasons from 2014-20 and 2021-22.

 

Gaunce contributed 5-7-12 with 18 penalty minutes and a +10 rating in 18 appearances for Vaxjo HC of Sweden’s SHL during the 2020-21 season, helping the club claim the 2020-21 SHL Championship. Prior to his professional career, Gaunce notched 103-133-236 with 211 penalty minutes and a +8 rating in 258 appearances for the OHL’s Belleville Bulls and Erie Otters spanning four seasons from 2010-14. Gaunce served as Belleville’s captain in 2012-13 and 2013-14.

 

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