Jacob Bernard-Docker’s trip to the Grand Rapids Griffins has stirred up plenty of speculation, but the latest Red Wings roster move doesn’t appear to be a sign that a Simon Edvinsson deal is about to get done.
Edvinsson remains unsigned, yet there’s no real indication that a signing is right around the corner. Bernard-Docker cleared waivers Sunday and was assigned to Grand Rapids, but the move lines up more naturally with Detroit’s logjam on defense than with any breakthrough in negotiations.
The Red Wings are carrying nine defensemen after the addition of Andreas Englund, and that’s simply more than most NHL teams want on the roster. Eight is the usual number, and some clubs even go with seven.
If and when Edvinsson re-signs, another defenseman will have to come out of the mix. Rookie William Wallinder is no longer waiver exempt, while Axel Sandin-Pellikka and Anton Johansson could be sent down without having to go through waivers.
For now, the clearest updates on Edvinsson are the ones already on the record. Interim GM Shawn Horcoff has said he has no intention in trading him and that the Red Wings are trying to re-sign him. Edvinsson has returned to the U.S. and is working out on the East Coast.
Bernard-Docker’s situation is a little different. He began the season on the injured list and has not appeared in a game since becoming healthy. Last season, he played 63 games and did enough for former GM Steve Yzerman to reward him with a two-year contract worth $1.6 million per season.
Because the deal is a one-way contract, according to Puckpedia.com, Bernard-Docker will collect his NHL salary while playing for the Griffins.
Horcoff has also made it clear he wants to open the door for Detroit’s younger players. That approach has been in fashion around the NHL for several years, and the Red Wings are following that current.
Even so, this doesn’t necessarily look like the end of Bernard-Docker’s time in Detroit. If injuries hit the blue line, he would be the most likely call-up. Todd McLellan also showed confidence in him last season.
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Hagg has denied trying to injure Nadeau, saying his hand slid up to the opponents neck during a push. Even so, the ruling adds another uncomfortable chapter to the career of a veteran defenseman who once wore a Detroit sweater, and it leaves Brynas having to move forward without one of its experienced defensemen for the immediate future. [Read more 🡒]