The Detroit Red Wings have placed forward Jonatan Berggren on waivers Monday afternoon, according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Selected 33rd overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, Berggren has yet to establish himself as an everyday player in the NHL, spending the majority of his 169 career games in depth roles. Over parts of four seasons with the Red Wings, the 25-year-old Swedish winger has recorded 31 goals and 33 assists for 64 points.
Berggren now faces the possibility of being claimed by another club or being reassigned to the team’s AHL affiliate if he clears waivers.
Last season, Berggren had what was arguably his most stable NHL campaign, tallying 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points in 75 games while playing primarily in a bottom-six role. This season, scoring chances have been harder to come by, as he has collected six points in 15 games, continuing in a bottom-six forward capacity with modest ice time.
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Detroit’s decision to place Berggren on waivers comes shortly after the team called up John Leonard, the 27-year-old New Jersey native who has been dominant to start the AHL season with the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Leonard has helped lead the Griffins to a remarkable 22-1-0-1 record and currently ranks among the AHL’s top scorers with 19 goals and 10 assists for 29 points in just 20 games, finding the back of the net in 15 of those contests. His hot start has likely influenced Detroit’s move, as Leonard is expected to take over Patrick Kane’s spot on the second line and potentially move into Berggren’s former role in the bottom six.
Berggren signed a one-year contract worth roughly $1.8 million for the 2025-26 season, a “prove-it” deal aimed at solidifying his full-time NHL role. With limited success in that regard, he is now on waivers. There is uncertainty about whether another team will claim him, but his youth and pedigree as a near first-round pick make him an intriguing option. Teams such as the Vancouver Canucks, currently dealing with multiple injuries, could see Berggren as a worthwhile gamble.
Berggren now awaits the 24-hour claiming period. If unclaimed, the Red Wings could send him to Grand Rapids or retain him as organizational depth. A claim by another NHL team would provide Berggren a fresh opportunity to establish a more consistent role at the highest level.
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