The Blues’ early-season puzzle got a little more interesting when Jonatan Berggren moved into Pavel Buchnevich’s spot and made it count.
St. Louis opened the year by beating the Dallas Stars in its season opener, then slid into a losing streak that pushed the coaching staff to shuffle the lineup in search of more offense. One of those moves gave Berggren a top-six look, and he’s done more than hold the job - he’s fit beside Mason McTavish and Connor McMichael.
That matters because McTavish and McMichael are already locked in long term, which puts Berggren’s place in the club’s future under the microscope. The second line has shown real playmaking and scoring touch, and Berggren has been a big part of that. The bigger question now is whether there’s room for him once the long view comes into focus.
Berggren came into the season on a one-year, $2 million deal, a contract that kept him in St. Louis after the Blues claimed him from the Detroit Red Wings.
Detroit had once seen enough in him to envision more, but he wound up on waivers and landed with the Blues. Now he’s starting to look like a player who might finally be finding his footing when given real trust from the coaching staff.
He entered the year needing to earn everything. His offensive skill was never really the issue, but last season’s inconsistency meant nothing was guaranteed - not his roster spot, not his minutes.
So far, he’s answered in a couple of different places. He’s helped generate offense on the second line with McTavish and McMichael, and he’d also been productive earlier with Dalibor Dvorsky and Jake Neighbours on the third line.
Through seven games, Berggren is averaging 14:42 of ice time and has produced two goals and two assists for four points. Each of those points has come in consecutive games, giving him a four-game point streak. Beyond the raw totals, he’s been noticeable for his offensive sense, his passing, and the way he opens up shooting lanes for himself.
The biggest step forward, though, has come away from the puck. Berggren has been strong defensively so far, cutting off passing lanes, hounding opponents in the neutral zone and creating takeaways that have turned into chances going the other way. That work has been enough to earn him time on the penalty kill, a sign the coaching staff trusts what he’s giving them in all three zones.
For the Blues, that kind of two-way impact is exactly what they needed early on. Berggren has been dangerous in the offensive end, driving the net, making sharp passes and helping generate quality looks. Add in the defensive growth, and the first stretch of the season has been almost entirely positive.
The future, though, is where things get tricky. If Berggren turns this into a 40-50-point season, he could put himself in line for a major raise from the Blues. Using McTavish’s and McMichael’s deals as the benchmark, that would mean a $7 million AAV.
That kind of number would force general manager Alexander Steen to make a careful call. A long-term extension for Berggren would tighten the path for prospects like Justin Carbonneau, Madox Dagenais and Dmitri Buchelnikov, who would be better suited for top-six minutes than bottom-six duty. But the Blues’ top six already looks set long term if Jimmy Snuggerud also gets extended, which leaves Berggren’s current role as the clearest opening.
A $7 million AAV doesn’t sound out of place if Berggren keeps producing at this pace. The real issue is term.
If he’s open to the money but flexible on years, the Blues could keep him around for another season or two while their prospects continue to develop. If he wants a long-term commitment, though, it becomes much harder to see him remaining in St.
Louis beyond this contract.
In Other News...
Blues Collapse Against Wild Exposed A Problem Fans Know Too Well
The Blues had enough offense to build a comfortable cushion against Minnesota, getting a multi-point night from Robert Thomas and three assists from Cam Fowler before the game turned sharply in the third period. St. Louis led 5-2 and looked in control, but the Wild kept pressing and eventually turned the night into a reminder that no lead is safe when the structure slips.
What stood out after the collapse was how familiar it looked. The Blues were again hurt by odd-man rushes and had trouble sorting out their own end once Minnesota found a rhythm, leaving Joel Hofer to face too much traffic and too many quality looks. Hofer made 33 saves on 38 shots, but the late breakdowns were the bigger issue, and they left St. Louis with a loss that felt avoidable long before the final horn. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Fans Wont Love Where This Franchise Favorite Landed
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For Dallas, the fit is obvious enough: injuries have thinned the forward group, and the Stars are looking for experience and reliability while they manage their depth. Perron has built a career by adapting wherever he goes, and now he arrives in a division rivals sweater with the kind of savvy that can still matter in a short-term role, even if the move will be easier to swallow in Texas than it is in Missouri. [Read more 🡒]
Blues Trade Is Already Creating A Debate St. Louis Fans Will Love
The early returns on the Jordan Kyrou-for-Connor McMichael swap have given Blues fans plenty to chew on. McMichael has fit in quickly with St. Louis, providing points and the kind of secondary scoring the club can always use, while Kyrous start in Washington has been quieter by comparison. For a trade that was always going to be judged through a St. Louis lens, the first stretch of the season has tilted the conversation in the Blues favor.
Of course, it is still early enough for the picture to change, and that is what makes this such an easy debate to revisit. McMichaels production has made the move look smart so far, but Kyrou has time to settle in with the Capitals and remind everyone why he was such a big piece of the deal in the first place. For now, though, Blues fans have reason to feel pretty good about how this one is playing out. [Read more 🡒]