On Tuesday, December 16, the St. Louis Blues claimed a player off waivers. This player is 25-year-old forward Jonatan Berggren, a former Red Wing selected 33rd overall in the 2018 NHL Draft. He has long been seen as a skater who has potential but can't make the next step to being a consistent and reliable forward, leading to his participation in just 15 games so far this season in Detroit.
Why did the Blues claim him?
Once news broke of the Blues' decision to claim Berggren off waivers, some fans found themselves asking why GM Doug Armstrong would make this move. There are many reasons, the biggest of which is something all Blues fans are very familiar with - injuries. Injuries have plagued this team in the last month or so, as St. Louis has lost Nathan Walker, Nick Bjugstad, Dylan Holloway, Jordan Kyrou, and Jimmy Snuggerud all to injuries, with no solid timetable for any of their returns. The final three players listed there are some of the Blues' biggest offensive weapons, and for a team that was already struggling to score, it makes sense to pick up a guy who has shown he has the skill needed to drive offense.
On top of the need to replace the many players sidelined by injury, there is also always the subject of money to consider. Berggren is currently on a one-year, $1.825 million contract, which is perfect for where the Blues are at right now. They don't have any commitment to pay Berggren beyond this season, and the cost for having him on the team is relatively cheap given his potential upside. If Monty and Armstrong like what they see, Berggren could earn a new contract with the team; it's a no-lose situation for the organization.
How was his debut?
Berggren had very little time to adjust, as he was in the lineup for the Blues less than 24 hours after being claimed. He played his first game in the Note on Wednesday against the Winnipeg Jets in the Enterprise Center. Some rust or lack of chemistry was expected, but instead, what the Blues saw on the ice was the exact opposite. Berggren came out and gave the crowd as good a performance as anyone could ask for. In 12:45 on ice time, he managed to get three shots on goal for the Blues, which is something the team has been desperately needing recently.
More importantly, he had some great chemistry with his linemates and had three excellent passes to set up some incredible scoring opportunities for Pius Suter, Logan Mailloux, and Dalibor Dvorsky. Hellebuyck managed to prevent the Blues from capitalizing on any of those chances, so none of them made it on the stat sheet for Berggren, but the intensity and high level of play were undeniable. Will Berggren continue to play at this level he showed in his debut? There's no way to know right now, all the team and fans can do is continue to believe in this battered and bruised but gutsy roster to continue to fight and keep the team afloat until the stars can return.