Red Wings Linked to Trading Star Young Forward To Cup Contending Team

The Detroit Red Wings have embraced going younger this season, and that comes at the expense of Jonathan Berggren.

Berggren, 25, has started the season as a healthy scratch as he doesn’t have a clear path to playing time. With that, NHL analyst Rob Couch of NHLTradeRumors links the Red Wings to trading Berggren to the Colorado Avalanche.

“The Colorado Avalanche have Stanley Cup aspirations, but their forward depth is questionable,” Couch wrote. “The team had to move off a couple of players and Gavin Brindley and Zakhar Bardakov made the team out of camp, but Brindley barely saw the ice and Bardakov was in the press box to begin the season.

“Berggren has at least experienced plenty of NHL action and could slide into the fourth line at worst for the Avalanche,” Couch added. “The money would be tight, but he can provide more depth scoring than a few of the other options in the lineup at the moment.”

Detroit could likely get a mid-round pick for Berggren or a mid-tier prospect for the 25-year-old who has shown he can produce at the NHL level.

With the Avalanche, Berggren can be a middle-six forward and add some secondary scoring to the lineup. He signed a one-year, $1.825 million extension with the Red Wings this offseason and will be an RFA at the end of the deal.


Red Wings Went Younger With Lineup

Detroit is in the midst of a nine-year playoff drought, and the Red Wings decided to add some youth to the lineup.

Emmitt Finnie, a 20-year-old who was a seventh-round pick in 2023, impressed enough to earn a roster spot.

Along with Finnie, forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, and defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka are the other 20-year-old rookies who cracked the roster. Red Wings coach Todd McLellan said it’s exciting for the team to have impact rookies make the team.

“They’re great guys and for three of them to come in and win jobs and be so well-received in the locker room, it speaks to show how guys believe in them,” McLellan said. “I’m excited for them and for our team because of them.”

The Red Wings are off to a 0-1 start and will host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.


Berggren Signed a Prove-It-Deal

Berggren has struggled to be an everyday player for the Red Wings in his career.

After he signed his extension, he made it clear that the one-year deal was a prove-it-deal for him.

“Last year was a good year for me,” Berggren said to DetroitRedWings.com. “I feel like I got more opportunity after Todd [McLellan] became head coach, and I think I played better. This one-year deal is a prove-it-deal for me. I want to show what I can do.”

Berggren wanted to have a good camp to prove he’s a top-six forward in the NHL and add some much-needed scoring to the lineup.

“I took another step last year. But I feel like I’m starting at a higher level this year maybe than where I was two years ago. I want to do the same thing this summer because I feel like that’s going to give me a good result this year.”

However, Berggren failed to crack the opening night lineup and will be a healthy scratch for the foreseeable future.

Berggren recorded 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points in 75 games last season. His career-high is 15 goals.

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