Phil Berger established himself as one of the premier goal-scorers in college hockey during his time with the Northern Michigan University Wildcats from 1985 to 1989. His most prolific year came during the 1987-88 season, where he netted a remarkable 40 goals—the fifth-best single-season total in NMU history—and recorded 72 points, earning him both WCHA First Team honors and a Second Team All-American nod. This phenomenal scoring output led to his selection as a Top 10 Finalist for the 1988 Hobey Baker Award, the annual honor for the top NCAA men’s ice hockey player. Berger’s knack for finding the back of the net was so significant that his WCHA and team-record seven hat tricks that year became known as the “Berger Bundles,” cementing his legacy as one of the program’s purest goal-scorers with 86 career goals.

Drafted by the Québec Nordiques in the 1988 NHL Supplemental Draft, Phil Berger’s professional career was predominantly spent as a star in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). Over nine seasons, he became one of the league’s all-time leading scorers and a fan favorite. Berger was an offensive powerhouse, leading the ECHL in scoring twice, with a career-high 139 points (56 goals, 83 assists) in 1993-94 for the Greensboro Monarchs, a season in which he was named an All-ECHL First Team All-Star. His overall ECHL career totals include 599 points and he still holds the league record for most postseason points (117). While his time at the top level was limited, with brief stints in the AHL and IHL, Berger’s minor-league dominance led to his eventual induction into the ECHL Hall of Fame in 2011.