Red Wings: With Patrick Kane out, there’s opportunity for John Leonard
Detroit Red Wings John Leonard, Dylan Larkin & Todd McLellan, Dec. 15, 2025 in Detroit.
The Detroit Red Wings placed Jonatan Berggren on waivers, a sign they no longer see the 2018 draftee having a future with the team.
To be fair, that sign has been growing for three seasons, despite some solid production. Berggren, 25, struggled to impress coach Todd McLellan since last Christmas, as Berggren struggled to impress then-coach Derek Lalonde before that. The forward has appeared in only 15 games this season, with two goals and four assists.
Berggren scored a career high 15 goals in 67 games as a rookie in 2022-23, but the next season he only played 12 games for the Wings, spending most of the rest of the time in the minors. Last season, he had 12 goals in 75 games.
The issue coaches have had with Berggren is his defensive play and overall assertiveness. He isn’t a grinder-type who fits in the bottom six, and wasn’t quite a fit when he got opportunity in the top six.
Even when the Wings learned Patrick Kane will miss at least the next two games after tweaking an upper-body injury, the team opted to call up John Leonard from the minors rather than insert Berggren into the lineup.
If Berggren clears waivers, the Wings can assign him to the Grand Rapids Griffins. But considering his solid offensive numbers and a reasonable $1.825 million contract through this season, plus his status as a restricted free agent next summer, he may well get picked up by another team.
Berggren was the last remnant of the top of the Wings’ 2018 draft under Ken Holland, from which they did not end up getting much. No. 6 pick Filip Zadina was a bust – one spot ahead of Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Quinn Hughes – and ended up requesting to be put on waivers for the purpose of a contract termination. He’s now playing in Switzerland. No 30 pick Joe Veleno – also a first-rounder – also struggled to make an impact before a trade last March. Berggren was selected at No. 33. Another second-round pick, defenseman Jared McIsaac, suffered a string of injuries, never played for the Wings and is also playing in Europe.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com.
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