Berggren had scored two goals and four assists in 15 games this season.
His rookie campaign of 2022-23 showed promise, as he scored 15 goals with 13 assists in 65 games played. However, he would spend the majority of the following season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, appearing in only 12 NHL contests.
Last season, which would ultimately prove to be his last full campaign with Detroit, he appeared in 75 games and scored 12 goals with 12 assists.
On June 30, the Red Wings re-signed Berggren to a one-year, $1.825 million deal.
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The Montreal Canadiens have gotten some less-than-ideal news ahead of their Dec. 16 game against the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Canadiens have announced that defenseman Mike Matheson will not be in the lineup for their matchup against the Flyers. In addition, the Habs shared that Matheson is considered day-to-day due to his injury.
With Matheson being one of the Canadiens' top defensemen, it is certainly tough news that he will not be in the lineup against the Flyers. Now, the Canadiens will need to adjust to not having him on their blueline as they look to extend their winning streak to two games.
Matheson has appeared in 32 games so far this season with the Canadiens, where he has recorded four goals, 12 assists, 16 points, and a plus-7 rating. Overall, the left-shot defenseman is once again having a solid season for the Habs and landed his five-year, $30 million contract extension back in November because of it.
It will now be interesting to see how the Canadiens respond to not having Matheson in the lineup against the Flyers from here.
The puck may not have been going in early for Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat, but once he scored his first goal of the season on Oct. 25 during the team’s historic comeback win over the St. Louis Blues, the floodgates opened.
DeBrincat now has 18 goals in 33 games and is on pace to set a new career high with 45 if he maintains his current trajectory. His previous best came during two 40-goal seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, and he nearly matched that mark last season with 39 goals.
The Farmington Hills, MI native scored five goals while adding four assists during Detroit's season-high six-game road swing, during which they earned nine of a possible 12 points up for grabs in the standings.
While DeBrincat has been known throughout his career for his goal-scoring abilities, head coach Todd McLellan touts the competitiveness he shows as one of his top attributes.
"The competitiveness, he plays in some tough situations, and he plays against 6'4", 6'5" defensemen, and the top pairs some nights over and over again, and he remains competitive even when the gas tank runs empty, which it does sometimes," McLellan explained. "He brings it."
"Not just this trip, but our - (assistant coach) Trent (Yawney) and my time with the Red Wings, we had an idea of how good Cat was, but he's shown us more than I would have known being in L.A. or San Jose and Edmonton all those years, just how well he competes. His shot, his offense, his mind, all that stuff. But just his competitiveness."
DeBrincat is skating in his third season with the Red Wings since being acquired from the Ottawa Senators in July 2023, and he's been one of the club's most reliable sources of offensive production for the majority of his time in Detroit.
They'll need him to continue providing timely offense in order to break through and bring Stanley Cup Playoff hockey to Little Caesars Arena for what would be the first time since the venue's opening in 2017.
So far, there's little reason to believe that he won't.
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The Montreal Canadiens are facing the Philadelphia Flyers on Dec. 16. The Canadiens will be looking to build off their impressive 4-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers in their last contest.
While speaking to reporters, Canadiens head coach Martin St. Louis announced that Jacob Fowler will be the Habs' starting goalie against the Flyers. Meanwhile, Jacob Dobes will be Fowler's backup, while Sam Montembeault will be in the press box.
With Fowler being one of the Canadiens' most exciting prospects, fans will certainly be looking to see what the 21-year-old goaltender can do against the Flyers.
Fowler's most recent appearance for the Canadiens was against the New York Rangers on Dec. 13. The 2023 third-round pick allowed five goals on 29 shots in the Canadiens' 5-4 overtime loss to the Blueshirts.
Fowler made his NHL debut for the Canadiens on Dec. 11 against the Pittsburgh Penguins and had a big performance, however. During it, he stopped 36 out of 38 shots he faced and picked up his first NHL win in the process.
It will now be very interesting to see how Fowler performs in his third career NHL game from here.
The Detroit Red Wings will look to keep their recent surge rolling when they host the New York Islanders in a tightly contested matchup between two emerging playoff contenders. Detroit enters the game riding a 5-1-2 hot streak but faces a familiar challenge in New York, a team that has dominated the season series to this point.
Saturday’s contest features the second seed from the Atlantic Division squaring off against the second seed in the Metropolitan Division, with both teams beginning to separate themselves in their respective races. While the standings suggest a close battle, the Islanders have had the upper hand so far this season, outscoring Detroit 12–2 in two lopsided victories. This time, however, the Red Wings will try to flip the script on home ice.
Lineup Storylines
Detroit will debut a notable lineup change as the team begins its homestand. The Red Wings recalled forward John Leonard, one of the hottest players in the minors this season. The 27-year-old has been unstoppable, leading the league with 19 goals and adding 10 assists for 29 points in just 20 games. Leonard has scored in 15 of those contests, earning him a chance to make an immediate impact at the NHL level.
Leonard is expected to slot into the second line alongside Andrew Copp and Alex DeBrincat, taking the place of veteran Patrick Kane, who is sidelined for the next few games after tweaking an upper-body injury. The extended opportunity gives Leonard a significant runway to prove his offensive success can translate against top competition.
The remainder of the lineup is expected to stay largely intact as Detroit’s physical bottom-six group, including James van Riemsdyk and Michael Rasmussen, will look to build on recent success, while the young trio of Nate Danielson, Marco Kasper, and Elmer Söderblom continues searching for consistency and production.
On the blue line, attention remains on Simon Edvinsson with his value around the league being underscored by reports from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman that the 22-year-old defenseman may have been a part of the Vancouver Canucks’ asking price in discussions surrounding star blueliner Quinn Hughes. Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman ultimately declined to move Edvinsson, a decision that reflects Detroit’s long-term confidence in the young Swede.
One move the Red Wings are especially pleased with is their acquisition of goaltender John Gibson, who has been outstanding as of late. Over his last five starts, Gibson is unbeaten with a 2.00 goals-against average, a .940 save percentage, and two shutouts. He will aim to stay locked in against an Islanders team that has won six of its last seven games.
Much like Detroit, New York’s success has been fueled by a blend of proven veterans and impactful young players. The Islanders lean on established stars such as Mathew Barzal, Anders Lee, and Kyle Palmieri, while rookies Matthew Schaefer and Calum Ritchie have made quicker-than-expected contributions.
The biggest concern for New York came earlier this week when leading scorer Bo Horvat went down awkwardly against the Anaheim Ducks, sparking fears of a season-ending injury. Fortunately for the Islanders, Horvat has been diagnosed with a lower-body injury and is expected to miss just one to three weeks.
Even without Horvat, Detroit will have its hands full. Barzal and Lee have been especially dangerous during New York’s recent run, each recording seven points over the last seven games. Both have torched the Red Wings this season. Lee had three assists in the first meeting, while Barzal totaled two goals and an assist across the two matchups.
With confidence building on both sides, the matchup serves as a measuring stick for Detroit’s progress. The Red Wings enter with momentum, improved goaltending, and a fresh injection of offense, while the Islanders arrive with recent dominance in the series and belief they can continue to dictate play.
Although the Red Wings are an Original Six franchise and the Islanders joined the NHL as one of the league’s earliest expansion teams in 1972, the two clubs have met only 132 times. Detroit holds a narrow edge in the all-time series, with 64 wins compared to New York’s 32. Before the Red Wings dropped two games to the Islanders earlier this season, Detroit had won five of the previous six meetings between the teams.
There has been no clear pattern when it comes to scoring in this matchup, though six of the last 11 games have finished with five or fewer total goals. If offense does emerge in this contest, it is likely to come from Detroit captain Dylan Larkin and Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer.
Larkin has been outstanding this season, recording 33 points in 33 games, including one of Detroit’s two goals against New York earlier this year. Schaefer continues to draw attention in the Calder Trophy race, with some even mentioning him in Norris Trophy discussions and as a potential candidate for Team Canada at the 2026 Olympics. The rookie has posted an impressive 23 points in 33 games from the blue line, though he has yet to break through against Detroit this season. That could change Tuesday, as he comes in on a hot streak with eight points in his last ten games.
Goalie Matchup
Detroit: John Gibson (Season: 9-7-1 record, 3.13 GAA, .890 SV% | VS NYI: 4-5-1 record, 3.47 GAA, .892 SV% in 11 games)
New York: Ilya Sorokin (Season: 12-8-2 record, 2.49 GAA, .912 SV% | VS DET: 5-4-2 record, 2.25 GAA, .920 SV% in 12 games)
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Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan announced on Monday that forward Patrick Kane, who scored the 498th goal of his NHL career during their 4-0 victory on Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks, will miss at least the next two games.
In Kane's stead, the Red Wings decided to call up forward John Leonard from the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins, where he led all AHL scorers with 19 goals scored in 20 games.
During Monday's practice, Leonard skated in Kane's spot on the second line alongside Alex DeBrincat and Andrew Copp, and all signs point to him making his regular-season Red Wings debut on Tuesday evening against the New York Islanders.
Leonard, who already has 70 games of NHL experience with the San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes, and Nashville Predators, is looking forward to the opportunity.
"I think any time you get to play in the NHL, it's special. I'm excited for the opportunity, and it's obviously a historic organization to be a part of."
Leonard is playing in his first season with the Red Wings organization, having signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the club after playing last season under contract with the AHL's Charlotte Checkers.
He enjoyed a productive campaign in Charlotte, tallying 36 goals while adding 25 assists in 72 games, and followed that up by contributing eight goals with six assists in 18 postseason games.
As the AHL's current leading goal scorer, he hopes to bring the mentality that's made him successful to the Red Wings.
"I think I just want to bring the same kind of mentality, use my speed and be a good 200-foot player. Responsible in both ends, being able to get pucks up on the walls and hopefully create some offense."
A Massachusetts native, Leonard grew up a Bruins fan but is appreciative to continue his NHL career with a historic club like the Red Wings, who are in their centennial campaign.
"I grew up in Massachusetts so I watched a lot of Bruins hockey," he said. "The Red Wings are an Original Six team, so it's special to be a part of."
The Red Wings will face the Islanders on Tuesday evening beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET.
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Rookie defenseman Travis Mitchell has done a fine job in stabilizing the New York Islanders' third defense pairing with Alexander Romanov out.
Alongside Scott Mayfield, Mitchell has kept things simple in his 11:06 average minutes per game, with a goal on three shots, five blocks, and 11 hits.
After scoring his first NHL goal at UBS Arena, defenseman Travis Mitchell knew he was going to give his puck to his dad who is in remission with stage four cancer and inspired his love of the game.
While we don't know if general manager Mathieu Darche has plans to upgrade that position externally in the near future, given that his team is hovering near the top of the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference, and the fact that he has the finances with players on Long-Term Injured Reserve, he does have something to consider when it comes to Mitchell.
If Mitchell plays against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday and then against the Vancouver Canucks on Friday, he will lose his waiver exemption.
He has played eight games. He loses his waiver exemption once he plays 10 games.
That means, if the Islanders want to recall defenseman Isaiah George at some point -- he just returned to game action with Bridgeport after missing a month with an upper-body injury -- Mitchell will require waivers — or another player like Adam Boqvist.
The Islanders could place someone on injured reserve but carrying eight defenseman seems like overkill.
The Islanders do lack defensive depth -- albeit not at the left-side defense position -- but risking the loss of someone who has provided stability is not ideal.
Anaheim Ducks - 20-12-1 - 41 Points - 6-4-0 in the last 10 - 2nd in the Atlantic
Columbus Blue Jackets - 13-13-6 - 32 Points - 2-5-3 in the last 10 - 8th in the Metro
Blue Jackets Stats
Power Play - 19.0% - 17th in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 71.6% - 30th in the NHL
Goals For - 92 - 23rd in the NHL
Goals Against - 111 - 29th in the NHL
Ducks Stats
Power Play - 17.9% - 22nd in the NHL
Penalty Kill - 75.0% - 28th in the NHL
Goals For - 114 - 3rd in the NHL
Goals Against - 108 - 24th in the NHL
Series History vs. TheDucks
Columbus is 31-29-1-8 all-time, and 16-13-0-5 at home vs. Anaheim.
The Jackets are 0-2-4 in the last 6 games at NWA against the Ducks.
The CBJ went 0-1-1 vs. the Ducks last season.
Who To Watch For TheDucks
Leo Carlsson leads the Ducks with 17 goals and 40 points.
Troy Terry leads the team with 24 assists.
Lukáš Dostál 12-6-1 with a SV% of .905. He started and won last night against the Rangers.
Goalie Carter Ville Husso is 5-3-0 with a SV% of .888.
CBJ Player Notes vs.Ducks
Zach Werenski has 10 points in 14 games against Anaheim
Boone Jenner has 7 points in his last 15 games against the Ducks.
Sean Monahan has 29 points in 35 games vs. Anaheim.
Injuries
Erik Gudbranson - Upper Body - Missed 24 Games - IR - No timeline for a return
Mathieu Olivier - Upper Body - Missed 9 Games - IR- No timeline for a return
TOTAL MAN GAMES LOST: 63
How to Watch & Listen: Tonight's game will be on FANDUEL SPORTS NETWORK. Bob Wischusen will be on the play-by-play. The radio broadcast will be on 97.1 THE FAN, with Bob McElligott behind the mic doing the play-by-play.
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Former San Jose Sharks forward Dylan Gambrell has found a new home, as the Iowa Wild has announced that they have signed him to an American Hockey League (AHL) contract for the rest of the season.
Gambrell spent all of this season down in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters, where he recorded 13 goals, 12 assists, 25 points, and a minus-6 rating in 54 games. This was after he had 14 goals, 22 assists, and 36 points in 66 games with the Toronto Marlies during the 2023-24 season.
Gambrell last played at the NHL level during the 2022-23 season with the Ottawa Senators. In 60 games with the Atlantic Division club that campaign, the former Sharks forward recorded four goals, six assists, and 10 points.
Gambrell was selected by the Sharks with the 60th overall pick of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. In 110 games over four seasons with the Sharks from 2017-18 to 2020-21, he posted 10 goals, 13 assists, 23 points, and 130 hits.
Red Wings Place Former High Draft Pick On WaiversDetroit Red Wings place former second round pick Jonatan Berggren on waivers Monday.
