It was hopefully the first of many for the 2018 second-round draft pick. It’s been a whirlwind of the last week for Detroit Red Wings prospect Jonatan Berggren. After starting the season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, he is now on the board with his first NHL goal! Even more impressive is that he found the back of the net in his third game. Though it seemed for a while that he was likely to stay in the AHL for seasoning, Berggren found his way to the NHL and straight onto the scorecard. He recorded an assist in his first NHL game with Detroit as well. After starting his season with seven points in seven games while with the Griffins, an injury to fellow rookie Elmer Soderblom opened the door for Berggren to make his NHL debut.
Jonatan Berggren the Player, and His Path to the NHL
Selected in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft, Jonatan Berggren made his professional debut in the 2021-22 season with the Grand Rapids Griffins. In his rookie season, he scored 21 goals and 43 assists for 64 points in 70 games. That mark led the team for the season, as well. Before his time with the Griffins, he played in the Sweden Hockey League.
He has often been lauded for his ability to control the puck and is also a tremendous playmaker. “Uses agile feet and outstanding puck control to keep it out of reach of opponents, looking for seams to deliver one of his timely passes,” says his Elite Prospects page.
A big part of the future for the Detroit Red Wings, Jonatan Berggren is taking full advantage of his first opportunity in the NHL. Whether or not he remains with the Detroit the rest of the season remains to be seen. But at this point, he is making a strong case to remain in the NHL.
