The Red Wings have assigned winger Jonatan Berggren to AHL Grand Rapids, per a team release.
Berggren, 23, had been a healthy scratch in five straight games. The 2018 second-round pick was one game away from losing his waiver-exempt status, which lapses next season regardless of if he plays another NHL game in 2023-24.
The Swede has been relegated to Grand Rapids for most of the season, an unexpected development after a breakout 2022-23 campaign. He made his first 67 career appearances last season, notching 15 goals and 13 assists to finish ninth on the team in scoring with 28 points. He did so in bottom-six minutes, averaging 13:28 per game, and managed decent possession numbers. His 47.3 CF% at even strength was ninth among Red Wings skaters and 1.2 percentage points above the team average.
However, his 2023-24 season began on a sour note as he was left off the opening right roster. He was recalled multiple times throughout the season on emergency loans but never remained up with the team on a full-time basis until after the trade deadline, last recalled on March 9. He only played in the Wings’ first three post-deadline games, though, seeing his ice time slip to 9:13 in his most recent appearance, a March 14 game against the Coyotes. That hasn’t stopped him from being productive in limited action, recording 2-4–6 in 12 NHL games on the season despite averaging only 10:52 per game.
He’s been similarly strong in the minors, where he’s rattled off over a point per game (19-27–46) through 43 appearances and leads Grand Rapids in scoring by a wide margin. Regardless, the pending RFA has remained on the outside of a Red Wings bottom six that head coach Derek Lalonde is opting to staff with lower-ceiling veteran presences like Austin Czarnik (one assist in 24 games), despite the team going 3-7-0 in their last 10 games and quickly losing ground in a tight playoff race in the Eastern Conference.
Berggren is nearing completion of his three-year entry-level contract, which carries a cap hit of $925K. He will have arbitration eligibility this summer.
Berggren deserves better, He is likely part of the future in Detroit and I’ll take him over Christian Fischer everytime.
This is just my prediction, but Berggren will not resign with Detroit in any capacity. And I don’t blame him or his agent if it comes to that.
Yzerman and Lalonde are so bullheaded. Yzerman is ruthless. How’s that Justin Holl signing turning out?
They sign Kostin and never give the guy a chance to show what he can do and now he’s thriving in San Jose. Not saying he’s a point a game player, but if he gets top nine minutes he changes the dynamic of the team a little bit. Something they badly needed.
Joe Veleno sucks. He’s had ample opportunities to play in the top six when Larkin has been out multiple times over the years and Veleno has failed every time. He is not capable of producing results. He’s like Darren Helm. He flies around the ice and looks good to the crowd, but there’s just no production to justify the ice time.
And guys like Rasmussen and Copp not even averaging a half point a game? But they get more ice time than Sprong?
Austin Czarnik? Really? Because he’s good in the room? Or his “motor is always running.”? Unreal.
Lalonde has to go.
He’s an better than an assistant coach who thinks he should be a head coach
Have to agree on Veleno. Has “contributed” 26 points but that all goes for naught with a negative 18 on the plus/minus.
Way back they were called “cherry pickers”. Getting tired of “their man” scoring from primo spots in our D zone whilst they are several steps out of position looking for a great outlet pass for their scoring opportunity.
We’ve all seen this kind, from Mite to whatever level including NHL. Up to the office to Fix ’em or trade ’em.
Heck, Rasmussen is a plus 12 AND a 33 point contributor. At this point, what do the Redwings have to lose? Try for some points before the finish line, with lines that have players that have “synergy”, a word I detest but it describes what is needed in the lines. Play the heck out of 1-3 and let the 4th “spell” them for a rest now and then.
1) DeBrincat – Larkin – Kane
2) Rasmussen – Compher – Raymond
3) Perron – Copp – Fischer
4) Fabbri – Czarnik – Veleno