Jonatan Berggren: Prospect Review

The Detroit Red Wings selected Jonatan Berggren in the 2018 NHL Draft, 2nd round, 33rd overall. Berggren has been playing in the SHL for the Skellefteå AIK. This season, he put up 45 points in 49 games for the club. These stats may not seem to be as good as prospects in the CHL, but trust me, they are. The reason these are outstanding numbers is due to the fact that Berggren is playing with men in the SHL. Most players in the SHL are over the age of 25 and have seen a lot more games than a young kid coming in from the juniors. It has been said by many scouts that the best way to be prepared to go into the NHL is through a league with older players and former NHLers. This is a huge challenge for a young kid, but Jonatan Berggren has not been phased.

Berggren is an elite playmaker with amazing vision and hockey sense. In his games, he uses his speed and hands to open up passes and create space for his teammates. He makes the game easier for everyone on his team. He knows where to be to put the puck in the net and is always looking to make a play when the puck is on his stick.

His confidence level with the puck is astounding. He will start from his own end and if there aren't any good passing options, he can carry the puck all the way up the ice bobbing and weaving through defenseman with ease before making an incredible pass for a tap-in. Every time I watch this kid, the comparable I always think of is Nicklas Backstrom of the Washington Capitals. I truly believe that he could be a Backstrom-comparable and maybe even turn out better than him.

With every great young prospect, there is always work that can be done to make the player better. A few weaknesses I have noticed with Berggren are his shot, physical play, and defensive abilities. Berggren is not a sniper in any way, but if he was able to develop a better shot, there is no stopping him. If you look at all the great playmakers in the NHL such as Backstrom, Kane, and McDavid, they can all score goals and a lot of them. I'm not saying he's gonna be the next Kane or McDavid, but you need a solid shot as a forward in the NHL to be successful. Luckily, shots can be a relatively easy fix and with enough work, he can develop into a dual-threat. Physical play is not entirely necessary, but it can go hand-in-hand with defensive play. Using your body to hit guys off pucks and being physical in board play can help you win a lot of puck battles. With the right coach and determination to improve, this is also a pretty easy fix. He is only 20 years old and has a lot to develop still as any other young prospect would, which is very exciting.

Seeing Berggren with a sniper would be the perfect fit for him. Similar to how Backstrom plays with Ovechkin, I would want to see Berggren play with Zadina. This would be a great fit as Zadina has a wicked shot and is always looking for a pass on the powerplay that oftentimes he never gets. Zadina and Raymond would love to play with an elite playmaker like Berggren and that's why he could be a huge asset for the Red Wings as soon as next season.