The Athletic’s Max Bultman profiles Red Wings prospect Jonatan Berggren this morning, discussing the small but mighty forward’s excellent start with Skelleftea AIK of the SHL:
Berggren, a 2018 second-round pick who is just 20, ranks third in SHL scoring. His 16 points in 13 games are already more than he had through 40 games in his two previous, injury-shortened pro seasons combined. And perhaps most importantly, that production is coming in conjunction with a key improvement to his game, one that has the potential to help the supremely talented young winger become the kind of breakthrough prospect the Red Wings need in their rebuild.
“He is even faster, so he beats the opponents even better, but he’s also taken a big step in going into (the) front of the net, driving the net, and going to those areas,” said Skellefteå general manager Erik Forssell. “Like last year, maybe he was a little bit too much on the outside, (a) perimeter player.”
For all the positives Berggren’s impressive point total reflects, his growth in that aspect of his game may well be the most important. His skating has never been in question. His puck skills and hockey sense have had him making highlight-reel plays for a while now. But the ability to bring those traits closer to the net is what could vault Berggren into the next tier of Red Wings prospects, beyond the land of raw upside.
“Some of the things that he’s got (are) very rare,” Forssell said. “And those offensive skills, they’re very rare. If he can continue to improve — I mean, those are maybe the most valuable assets you can have as a player. So I can’t really see a ceiling for him. But still, if you want to be a producing top player in the NHL, that’s not easy.”
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