The St. Louis Blues surprised fans by claiming Detroit Red Wings castaway Jonatan Berggren off waivers on Tuesday. My colleague Joe DeMarini offered this interesting insight into the move.
The rationale behind the move points toward a highly specific situation: The Blues need a forward to replace the injured Dylan Holloway.
Now, DeMarini also dropped an interesting take on Otto Stenberg’s recent call-up. Injuries offer a unique opportunity for a highly-touted prospect like Stenberg to make his mark on the Blues.
But then again, Stenberg is a rookie. While a talented one, he’s a rookie nonetheless. That’s why adding someone like Berggren makes sense.
Berggren is a former second-round pick of the Red Wings from the 2018 NHL Draft. He scored 31 goals in 169 games in Detroit. However, other prospects leapfrogged Berggren on the Red Wings’ depth chart. That situation made Berggren expendable.
It’s worth pointing out that Berggren is a useful forward. Otherwise, no one would have claimed him on Tuesday.
That being said, Berggren offers more certainty over a rookie like Stenberg. The Blues know they’re going to get a decent, if unspectacular player in Berggren. He’ll likely suit up in the middle six. But that’s fine. The Blues don’t expect Berggren suddenly become a 50-goal scorer. He’ll provide much-needed support, while Holloway is out.
Berggren has a path forward with the Blues
Adding Berggren wasn’t a stopgap move. There’s more to this claim. The Blues could view Berggren as someone with a future in St. Louis. He’s still young at 25 years old. While he’s on the older side of the typical prospect, he could still have numerous productive years ahead of him.
That’s what the Blues are banking on. The team hopes that Berggren can follow the lead of other prospects who don’t always pan out with the original teams. The fresh start could be just what Berggren needs to rekindle his once-promising path to the NHL.
There’s another key consideration regarding Berggren in St. Louis. He’ll be an RFA at the end of the season. By claiming him, the Blues are now on the hook for his next contract. So, St. Louis could end up with a very good and very cost-effective player moving forward.
I would venture out to think that a one-year, prove-it deal would be on the horizon for Berggren. That deal would allow both sides to assess if they’re a good fit and if a long-term deal could be in the cards.
Berggren will get every opportunity to prove he belongs in St. Louis. Ultimately, it will be up to him to make the most of this new opportunity.