Successful Surgery For Berard

March 12, 2000 / 1:59 PM EST / CBS/AP

The retina in Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Bryan Berard's right eye was successfully reattached in a 4 1/2-hour surgical procedure Tuesday, the NHL team said.

"Dr. Stanley Chang was able to reattach the severely damaged retina," Pat Park, the Leafs' manager of media relations, said in a recorded message. "No further information was available."

The surgery was performed at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center by Dr. Stanley Chang.

Berard's agent, Tom Laidlaw, told the Toronto news station Cable Pulse 24 that Berard would likely head home to Woonsocket, R.I., late Wednesday after his eye is evaluated by doctors. Laidlaw also said Berard was hoping to return to Toronto early next month to be with his team.

"He brought that up yesterday, that if everything goes well he'd like to get back in a couple of weeks," Laidlaw said. "I told him that I saw Pat Quinn interviewed and Pat had mentioned a few times that he'd like to get Bryan back with the team.

"He (Quinn) thought it would be good for the team and I think it would be good for Bryan. Again, I guess it depends on how comfortable he feels and how the eye progresses."

Berard, a former NHL rookie of the year and U.S. Olympian, was accidentally hit in the face by Marian Hossa's stick blade during Toronto's 4-2 victory March 11 in Ottawa. The 23-year-old, who was not wearing a visor, crumpled to his knees. A large pool of blood formed on the ice as team personnel rushed to his aid.

He suffered a cut cornea, detached retina and the orbital bone surrounding the eye was fractured.

Doctors have said they are uncertain if Berard would regain the sight in his eye even if the retina was reattached.

Berard was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1995 draft but, after he refused to play for Ottawa, the Senators traded him to the New York Islanders.

He played for a Detroit junior team in the OHL, and he was defenseman of the year in Canadian junior hockey in 1996. He stepped up to the NHL and made an immediate impression, earning the Calder Trophy in 1997 as top rookie.

Toronto acquired Berard for goaltender Felix Potvin on Jan. 9, 1999.

In 64 games this season, Berard had three goals and 27 assists.