Jonatan Berggren's time with the Detroit Red Wings has come to an end after he was claimed on waivers by the St. Louis Blues earlier this week.
The once-highly touted prospect of the Red Wings struggled to create an identity or carve out a role in Detroit. It wasn't that Jonatan Berggren struggled under the tutorship of former head coach Derek Lalonde, but he also found himself in the press box as a spectator far more than he's been in the lineup with Todd McLellan behind the Red Wings' bench.
So, the struggle is real. I sort of wonder if Berggren is one of those 'tweeners' or, in baseball terms, a Four-A player, meaning a top minor league player that struggles to make an impact at the NHL level. He is anything but a checking forward; he doesn't play heavy, he doesn't work on the penalty kill, and he tends to lose far more of those 50/50 board battles than he wins.
So this makes it complicated to play as a bottom-six or, really, a bottom-three forward. The only real benefit he's provided is the ability to finish, but even that has been inconsistent at best.
Berggren, 25, a former second-round pick, 33rd overall from the 2018 NHL Entry Level Draft, is the final piece of that 2018 draft class to leave the organization. Isn't that wild? Not one player is left in the organization from Ken Holland's final draft with Detroit.
The 2018 Detroit Red Wings draft: Where are they now?
A quick summary of that draft. Filip Zadina was selected number six overall, and I must add, I was thrilled with the selection at the time. After a request from Detroit, Zadina tried to revive his career with the San Jose Sharks, but that didn't work out, and now he plays in Switzerland.
Joe Veleno was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the first-round, 30th overall. Similar to Zadina, he struggled to find any consistency with the organization and was traded to Chicago at the deadline in 2025 in the Petr Mrazek deal. Veleno now plays for Montreal but his struggles at the NHL level continue. He's recorded two goals and three points in 28 games with the Habs, and is a minus-9.
Defenseman Jared McIsaac was selected 36th overall in 2018 but failed to play an NHL game with the Red Wings. The once highly regarded defender now plays in Slovakia. Alec Regula was picked 67th overall and we saw him have a cup of coffee with the Red Wings but never stuck. He's currently in the Edmonton Oilers' system.
The late round selections from that 2018 draft all failed to make an impact with the organization. That includes Seth Barton, Jesper Eliasson, Ryan O'Reilly, Victor Brattstrom, and Otto Kivenmaki.
Jonatan Berggren will benefit from a change of scenery
Again, Berggren had regularly been a healthy scratch for Detroit this season only appearing in 15 games total, and just one since Thanksgiving. He amassed two goals and six points. Through his Red Wings career, Berggren appeared in 169 contests recording 31 goals and 33 assists and was a minus-31 rating.
Recently, Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan stated "When opportunity dries up in one spot, you have to think about the individual a little bit, too,"
Berggren would have been a valuable asset in Grand Rapids, replacing the recently recalled John Leonard. That said, he'd likely prefer another kick at the can at the NHL level elsewhere, which he will receive with the Blues.
Berggren’s move to the St. Louis Blues represents more than just a change of scenery; it’s a fresh opportunity. While his time in Detroit did not live up to early expectations, a new environment could be the catalyst he needs to realize his potential.
As mentioned, the last remaining player from the Red Wings’ 2018 draft class, Berggren’s progress will be closely monitored by Red Wings fans eager to see whether he can turn his promise into tangible production. For now, the hope is that St. Louis will provide the right combination of opportunity to help Berggren become the impactful NHL forward he was projected to be.