Since Steve Yzerman became the general manager of the Detroit Red Wings in the spring of 2019, the team and organization has undergone an almost complete transformation. Of the players he inherited from Ken Holland, only four remain.
The headliner of the bunch is Dylan Larkin, the team’s captain and top center. Michael Rasmussen was the Red Wings’ top pick in the 2017 draft, the year that began their ongoing playoff drought, and he has established himself as a useful big-bodied forward with good defensive instincts. Joe Veleno was the 30th pick of the 2018 draft, the last of the Holland era, and he has earned his keep as a bottom six centerman.
That brings us to the last holdover from the Holland era: Jonatan Berggren.
When the Red Wings drafted Berggren with the 33rd pick of the 2018 draft, it was known then that he would need some time to develop his skills and, hopefully, become an offensive winger in the NHL. Since then, he has found success in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) and the American Hockey League (AHL), including the 2023-24 campaign where he led the Grand Rapids Griffins in nearly every offensive category despite playing in just 53 games.
The 2024-25 season marks a critical point in the Swedish winger’s career. Berggren has done almost everything there is to do at the AHL level, but he has yet to crack the code as an everyday NHLer. If he is ever going to figure it out as a member of the Red Wings, it will probably have to happen this season.
Berggren Has Offensive Skill
Through 130 AHL games, Berggren has 49 goals and 127 points. He set the Griffins’ franchise points record for a rookie skater during the 2021-22 season, finishing with 64 points in 70 games. Though he established himself as more of a setup guy during his time in the SHL, he seems to have taken his goal-scoring abilities to another level since coming to North America. To that point, he had more goals than assists during his 67-game run with the Red Wings during the 2022-23 season.
Despite showing well for himself in his rookie NHL season, Berggren spent most of the 2023-24 campaign back in Grand Rapids. He established himself as the Griffins’ top forward throughout the season, but he appeared in just 12 games with the Red Wings throughout the season. Because of the organization’s perceived lack of faith in him, his name popped up in trade rumors throughout the season, leaving some people surprised when he remained in the Red Wings organization beyond the trade deadline.
Related: Analyzing the Red Wings’ Forward Depth for 2024-25
Alas, here we are just weeks away from the start of the preseason and Berggren remains in the Red Wings organization. After six years, it has become quite clear what he brings to the table.
Berggren’s Awkward Fit
Thanks to his success in the SHL and AHL, Berggren has established himself as an offensive winger with the ability to make things happen as both a shooter and passer. But, as we have seen during his 81 games in the NHL, he can’t do it all by himself.
This brings up an interesting predicament when looking at the Red Wings’ projected lineup. With Lucas Raymond, Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat and Vladimir Tarasenko all expected to play in Detroit’s top six, that leaves Rasmussen, Christian Fischer and Tyler Motte as the team’s remaining wingers aside from Berggren (excluding Andrew Copp who can also play on the wing if need-be.) With Copp and Veleno as the projected centers in the bottom six, there isn’t a whole lot of offensive talent to go around; in fact, Berggren probably has the highest offensive ceiling of the bunch depending on how you feel about Copp’s offensive abilities.
This presents the problem with Berggren’s current place on the depth chart. He is at his best when he has other offensive players on his line, but unless the lines shake out differently than what is currently expected, he seems doomed to play in a bottom six that is better suited for forechecking and defensive play rather than producing goals themselves. Despite Berggren’s offensive profile, he has proven to be less adept in the defensive end, and that won’t work in a defensive bottom six.
Potential Solutions
As of this writing, Berggren remains unsigned and is a restricted free agent. Every indication from the player and the team is that both sides would like their relationship to continue, with Yzerman reiterating on multiple occasions that he intends to leave a spot open for the Swedish winger.
However, just as trade rumors rumbled beneath the surface last season, it shouldn’t be surprising if trade chatter picks up if/when Berggren finds himself in an unfavorable spot in the lineup. Sticking him with players that routinely reach double-digit goal totals by the skin of their teeth is not setting him up for success, and his value will only depress if he isn’t positioned to do what he does best.
Alternatively, head coach Derek Lalonde may be forced to stray from what the “expected” lineup is to maximize his lineup. Consider the capabilities of this lineup:
| Vladimir Tarasenko | Dylan Larkin | Lucas Raymond |
| Alex DeBrincat | J.T. Compher | Patrick Kane |
| Michael Rasmussen | Andrew Copp | Christian Fischer |
| Tyler Motte | Joe Veleno | Jonatan Berggren |
Versus this lineup:
| Rasmussen | Larkin | Raymond |
| DeBrincat | Compher | Kane |
| Tarasenko | Copp | Berggren |
| Motte | Veleno | Fischer |
This may not be the exact variation they would go with, but the second lineup does provide the team with three lines that can produce offense and one line with strong, defensive forwards. It also provides Berggren with the opportunity to utilize his offensive skill instead of becoming a square peg being jammed into a round hole.
Regardless of how this situation plays out, it is obvious that the 2024-25 season is an inflection point of Berggren’s career. If the Red Wings can find a good fit for him, he could prove to be one of the most important pieces left over from the Holland era. If not, those trade rumors may come to fruition as there are bound to be a handful of teams that would be interested in giving him a shot.
First things first, however: he needs to put pen to paper on a new contract.
