As this team continues to battle the long list of injured stars, there has been one player who has stepped up. The best part is that he did not start this season with the St. Louis Blues and was only acquired last week.
Jonatan Berggren, who might be the best pick-up by the Blues in a very long time, has taken this opportunity following his waiver from Detroit and run with it. He has been the best player on the ice in each of his first three games.
It seems like both the Blues needed Berggren and Berggren needed the Blues.
Immediate impact has saved the Blues
Berggren came to the Blues in a dire situation, as this team needed some help at the bottom half of the lineup. Nathan Walker is still out, Dylan Holloway just went down with an injury, as well as Nick Bjugstad. The call-ups in Aleksanteri Kaskimaki and Hugh McGing were starting to show signs of a downturn, and this team needed some kind of shock to the offensive system.
Enter the waivering of Berggren from Detroit, where he spent the first three seasons of his career, plus 15 games this season. It seemed like whatever the Red Wings wanted out of him was not going to happen; thus, it was time to part ways. The Blues have to be very thankful that it happened, as it might have saved this team's season.
In three games with his new club, Berggren has two goals and two assists, is +3 on the ice, and the Blues are 2-0-1 since he arrived. Not too shabby.
Could get better with mainstays coming back
There is a distinct possibility that Berggren could be even more impactful when the top six is filled back out with the regulars. He has already made a nice case for himself to stay on the top line, alongside Jake Neighbours and Robert Thomas. Jordan Kyrou and the aforementioned Holloway are going to need a little bit of time to get back to speed, so letting Berggren cook for a little while longer is the best move.
The Blues are still within earshot of the playoffs. That is an insane thing to think about right now, as horrifically as this season has gone through 36 games. Berggren is a bright spot on this team right now, and hopefully, he can keep it up. They are going to need this newcomer to continue being a dominating force, no matter who is on the ice.