One of the bigger surprises of the St. Louis Blues’ season has been Jonatan Berggren. The forward was claimed off waivers in the middle of December to help fill holes created by injuries. What was originally intended as a temporary placeholder has become a productive player. In 25 games wearing the Blue Note, Berggren has scored five goals and recorded 12 points. He has certainly been a bright spot when in the lineup.
However, Berggren is not always in the lineup, and that should change as the season winds down.
Berggren’s Recent Games
Since the season resumed following the Olympics, the Blues have played 11 games. Berggren has played in just five of them. In those games, he has been productive. He has recorded four assists in those games and currently carries a modest two-game point streak. Furthermore, the Blues have gone 3-1-1 when he is in the lineup.
These five games have been the norm for Berggren when he is in the lineup. He finds a way to make plays in the offensive zone and helps the team get on the scoreboard. He has been an unexpected but welcome boost to an offense that has struggled in that department.
Why the Inconsistent Playing Time?
For someone who has been an offensive spark, it may seem odd to see that the Swede has not gotten consistent playing time. However, the answer is fairly simple. The team simply has had more forwards than they could dress in a given game. A mix of veterans and emerging prospects has made lineup decisions difficult for head coach Jim Montgomery.
Even the trades of Brayden Schenn and Nick Bjugstad have not brought these decisions forward. Newcomer Jack Finley has played well on the fourth line. Furthermore, prospect Otto Stenberg continues to see playing time.
Berggren Over Drouin
Despite the abundance of forwards, the best way to get Berggren in the lineup consistently is to start playing him in place of Jonathan Drouin.
Drouin came to the Blues from the New York Islanders in the Schenn trade. Drouin’s inclusion in the trade was for cap purposes. Getting rid of Drouin’s $4 million cap hit made it easier for the Isles to take on Schenn’s $6.5 million.
Related: Blues’ Highs and Lows of the Trade Deadline
Drouin does have another year on his contract, but he is simply a placeholder on the Blues’ roster that they do not necessarily need. It would not be surprising to see the Blues part ways with the forward this summer.
Drouin is simply an extra forward for the Blues. He can step in when needed to finish the season, but he does not factor into the team’s long-term plan. It makes sense to replace him with Berggren to give the offense more spark.
Blues Have a Decision to Make With Berggren
The Blues did not expect Berggren to have the impact he has. As the season winds down, it is important for the Blues to see what they have in Berggren before heading into the offseason.
Berggren is 25 years old. Furthermore, he has two more seasons of restricted free agency left. At just $1.8 million, he is a cheap option for the Blues. However, is his offensive spark something that can be sustained in future seasons?
Berggren has scored five goals in 25 games with the Blues. This would put him on pace to score 16 goals if he played every game in an 82-game season. This would tie him for the team lead as of the time of writing this.
Berggren could be someone who could provide some middle-line scoring depth for the Blues. He needs to be in the lineup to see what he can do in a regular role to help the organization make a decision for next season.
14 Games Left
The Blues have 14 games left before the page officially turns towards 2026-27. However, the team has been looking in that direction for the last few weeks, so there is no reason that should stop now.
They are preparing for the future. Use this time to see if and where Berggren fits into it.
