Photo by Stefan Kubus/MiHockey

Red Wings sign top prospect Jonatan Berggren to entry-level deal

 

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today agreed to terms with right wing Jonatan Berggren on a three-year entry-level contract.

Berggren, 20, finished the 2020-21 season tied for sixth in scoring among Swedish Hockey League skaters with 45 points (12-33-45) in 49 games and his 45 points were tied atop the leaderboard for his club, Skelleftea AIK. Berggren became only the 13th player in SHL history to compile 40-plus points in a season at age 20 or younger, and the first since Elias Pettersson accomplished the feat in 2017-18.

The 5-foot-10, 181-pound winger also tallied four assists in 12 playoff contests, helping his team to the semifinals of the SHL playoffs. Berggren started the 2020-21 campaign on a torrid pace, recording 20 points (5-15-20) in his first 18 games, surpassing his point total from the previous season (12 points in 24 games), which was cut short due to injury. In all, Berggren has skated in 99 games for Skelleftea AIK over the last four seasons (2017-21), recording 14 goals and 46 assists.

Drafted by the Red Wings in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Berggren registered 69 points (24-45-69) in 67 career games for Skelleftea’s under-20 team (2016-18) while adding 140 points (67-73-140) in 109 games at the under-18 level for Enkopings and Skelleftea since 2013-14.

The Enkoping, Sweden, native won a bronze medal with Sweden at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, tying for sixth in team scoring with five points (1-4-5) in seven games. Additionally, Berggren captured bronze medals with Sweden twice in 2017-18, pacing the team during the 2018 IIHF World Under-18 Championship with 10 points (5-5-10) in seven games and picking up five points (3-2-5) in five games at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. Berggren also won a gold medal with Sweden during the 2017 IIHF World 17-Under Hockey Challenge, tallying three points (2-1-3) in six games.