Early this season, the Detroit Red Wings have been hit with some injuries, and that has taken some key players out of the lineup. The silver lining to this situation is that it has allowed some younger players from the Grand Rapids Griffins to get a chance to show everyone what they can do in the NHL. Jonatan Berggren has certainly made the most of his opportunity.
Berggren was picked by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and played three seasons in the Swedish Hockey League before moving to the AHL level with the Griffins last season. According to his career stats on Elite Prospects, and he had some impressive numbers last season.
He was able to score 21 goals and 43 assists for 64 points in 70 games with the Griffins, which are some big numbers for a first season in the AHL. So far this season, he has scored three goals and five assists for eight points in 11 games, with his latest goal being a beautiful redirect past Vezina Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy.
These numbers are even more impressive when you consider the amount of ice time that he gets being on the bottom line. More than just his numbers, Berggren’s presence on the ice has been impressive so far.
Jonatan Berggren needs to stay with the Detroit Red Wings.
Berggren has looked like a player with experience beyond his age of 22 years. He rarely panics with the puck, even when under heavy pressure from seasoned defensemen. Instead of just dumping the puck off under pressure, he is very good at waiting just a little bit longer to find a better option and make a better play. He also makes smart defensive plays on the other end of the ice with responsible moves and a good awareness of the other team.
Joe Veleno has been mainly played alongside Berggren on the fourth line, with the third member of the line changing as the lineup shifts. This has worked really well, especially when Austin Czarnik is on the line since they all played together in Grand Rapids.
The time that they have spent practicing and playing together really shows out there as they have combined for goals on more than one occasion, including Berggren’s latest. He has also spent some time on the top line, which is really impressive for a rookie.
Jonatan Berggren needs to play the rest of the season in Detroit.
Even though Berggren was called up to fill a hole due to injury, the Wings need to keep him on the team for the rest of the season and beyond. When Tyler Bertuzzi returns from the Injured Reserve (IR), the team can send Czarnik back to the Griffins, and when Filip Zadina is ready to return, I would still keep Berggren in the lineup.
The only situation that may make for a tough decision would be the return of Jakub Vrana. He is a potential 40-goal guy, so he can’t be left off the team if available; however, it feels like Berggren deserves to be kept around with the team.