Four Red Wings on the Bubble to Make The 2022-2023 Roster

The Detroit Red Wings are winding down the preseason this weekend in a home-and-home with the Toronto Maple Leafs. After that, the Red Wings have some decisions to make and some are not as easy as one might think.

Although most of the roster looks to be set, there are a few spots open. Those spots could be had by many players but there are some veterans and prospects still battling for those few spots.

With the abundance of players acquired this off-season by general manager Steve Yzerman, this training camp is a bit crowded, which is a good thing.

However, some players have started to separate themselves from others in hopes of grabbing a spot on the 2022-2023 Red Wings roster.

There are four Red Wings players who could stick from training camp.

The Red Wings are not just ones to hand out spots on the roster; they have to be earned. While a spot or two may be long-term, there are some players who could make short-term appearances in Detroit.

Players like forwards Robby Fabbri and Andrew Copp, and defensemen Jake Walman and Mark Pysyk are out with injuries and the timetable is anywhere from the first week of the season until mid-January.

Jonatan Berggren

Forward Jonatan Berggren has been a nice surprise at camp, looking like a middle-six forward hopeful.

Drafted in the second round, 33rd overall, in the 2018 NHL Draft, Berggren has come a long way since his arrival in the United States. A shifty, small, yet offensive player, he fits the mold of what a Red Wings player should be.

Last season, Berggren played for the Red Wings AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, making his pro debut. In 70 games, he scored 21 goals and added 42 assists for 63 points.

He would fit nicely in the third-line winger position. If he does not make the team out of camp, expect him to spend some time in Detroit this season.

Elmer Soderblom

Forward Elmer Soderblom, a massive player at 6-foot-8 and 249 pounds, has really impressed at training camp. In developmental camp and early in training camp, he struggled a bit to grasp the speed of the American game.

He has adjusted and, although he will not lead the team in scoring, he will provide that secondary scoring from the bottom six that the Red Wings lacked the past few seasons. Soderblom has good speed for a player his size and can score goals from in tight.

Soderblom can make the biggest impact on the power play, as the Red Wings do not have a player of his size to screen the goaltender. If he sticks, he will likely be in the bottom six to start but play a major role with the man advantage.

Soderblom may start the year with Grand Rapids to get his feet wet in North America and, depending on how he plays, could get a call-up before the season ends.

Simon Edvinsson

Another monster at 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, defenseman Simon Edvinsson is putting on pressure to make the team out of training camp. He too will be making his North American debut this season, regardless of where he plays.

Edvinsson is a good two-way defenseman who can make an immediate impact. He has played well this preseason, but has he played his way onto the roster?

That is a tough call. Do the Red Wings bring him on and make him a bottom-pairing defenseman? Or do they let him play the season in Grand Rapids to get accustomed to pro hockey?

He has played well enough to earn a spot but the Red Wings also brought in veteran leadership on the defensive side during the off-season.

Steve Kampfer

Defenseman Steve Kampfer has played well in training camp, using his speed and defensive awareness to grab the attention of management.

Kampfer is not going to be a top-pairing defenseman, that is not who he is. He will be a bottom-pairing defenseman who has speed, will clear the crease, take care of his own end, and occasionally fight. There’s nothing special about his game, but every team needs a “glue guy”.

One thing going against Kampfer is his age. At 34 years old, he is not on top of the Red Wings’ list as they are getting younger. However, Detroit has some defensemen who can provide offense and can jump in the play. Kampfer would be used strictly for defensive purposes.

If he spends the year in Grand Rapids, he has years of NHL experience and can use his veteran leadership to counsel the young, inexperienced group of defensemen.

The next week is going to be crucial for the development of some of these prospects. Whether they make it or not, this experience they have received over training camp will make them better players this season.

With few spots available the Red Wings have tough decisions to make and not a lot of time to make them.