— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) May 20, 2021
Yzerman has signed Jonathan Berggren To his ELC. The 2018 draft, to Ken Holland’s credit, may have ended up being very important to this club’s rebuild. Berggren was drafted just 3 spots after Veleno, but as a center may have surpassed JV. At 20 (21 in July) Berggren posted 12 goals and 33 assists (45pts) in 49 games in the SHL this year. It will take some time to see how he looks on North American ice, but whether he plays in Grand Rapids or Detroit, this is a young player worth the watch.
Eemil Viro has signed his ELC, but Petruzzelli may walk. The current setup give Collegiate free agents the ability to “wait out” a team and become a free agent. It will be interesting to see if this situation will be revisited in the next CBA.
One player who’s more than happy to wear the Winged Wheel is Jonathan Bernier. The veteran net minder told MLive that he hopes to extend with Detroit. Honestly, I’d be happy to have him again. This year’s goaltending was certainly an improvement, but Bernier was providing stability even in the worst year in recent memory.
It takes a special player to want to be a part of the difficult times. For forwards and defensemen, it’s a balancing act between making room for prospects that may be ready or bringing in a veteran stop gap. As far as netminders go, Detroit doesn’t really have anyone ready to take over in the NHL. A borderline goalie is probably better off getting reps in Grand Rapids. If a young goalie steps up and takes a job, that would be a boon to the growth of the team for sure.
Bernier and Greiss gave the team some much needed confidence, helping them stay in games. With the team getting younger again this year, and some more defensive turnover, having some consistency in net may be a big factor in helping the younger players find their game at the NHL level. Bernier has been a positive presence, and I can’t see any downside to bringing him back.
Let me know your thoughts. Is there a young netminder that you want to “sink or swim” with the big club? Or, do you want to have another year of veteran stability in the net. I’ll see you in the comments.
Detroit Red Wings Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»