So much for Berglund being a lifelong Blue. He appeared to be on track to end his career in St. Louis since the club had him contracted for $3.85 million annually through 2021-22, but that was a hefty deal for a forward who played so poorly in February that he became a healthy scratch. Berglund is still talented -- as he logged 17 goals and 26 points in 57 games in 2017-18 -- and just two seasons removed from a 23-goal campaign. Buffalo is rebuilding, however, and wants to ensure its young players get top-six minutes, so the 30-year-old will likely spend most of his time centering the third line as he did with the Blues. Berglund is still an option in deeper leagues, albeit a risky option surrounded by younger, faster skaters.
A newfound level of physicality led Berglund to record a career-high 155 hits alongside a new personal best in goals (23) last year, but he injured his shoulder while training in the offseason offseason training and required surgery that will keep him out until at least December. Even if he’s never lived up to his first-round pedigree, Berglund is a bottom-six leader for the Blues who can be expected to chip in no more than 30 or so points over the course of a full season, so there’s no reason to stash him away on draft day in most formats, but he can help owners in deep leagues once he gets healthy.
Berglund is a remarkably talented big man who just can't put all the parts together. He was once likened to fellow Swede Mats Sundin, and he teased with a 51-point season at just 22. But Berglund never had the internal drive to be an offensive star and quickly settled into the role of hard-working, third-line checker. Every team needs a 10-goal, 30-point big center in its bottom six. That is, every on-ice team. For fantasy purposes, Berglund is better suited as a midseason waiver pickup for a week or two (tops). Then replace him with another league-average third-line center who goes on a hot streak.
With the Blues' importation of Jori Lehtera and Paul Stastny at center last year, Berglund saw his ice time fall to its lowest average since 2009-10, and though he actually fired one more shot on goal than the year before, the hulking Swede's point total dropped to a meager 27, and his power-play production dropped to nearly nil. He'll return in a third-line role and again be a highly uninteresting fantasy asset outside of deeper leagues. As Berglund enters his 27-point season, it's never been clearer that the 52-point effort he posted at age 22 was a mirage.
The arrivals of young studs Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz to the NHL squad and the breakout performances of Alexander Steen and T.J. Oshie have helped turn the Blues’ attack into a powerhouse over the last two seasons. Unfortunately, those developments have seemed to come at Berglund’s expense. After churning out 22 goals and 30 assists in 2010-2011, Berglund has seen his ice time and scoring output trend downward ever since, bottoming out with 14 goals and 18 assists last season. As an overqualified third-line center, Berglund was able to turn in a healthy plus-10 rating, but he may need to be dealt elsewhere if he hopes to reemerge as a 50-point threat. In addition, Berglund enters training camp in uncertain health after playing through a dislocated shoulder during the playoffs, and the Blues’ offseason addition of center Jori Lehtera from the KHL further muddles his playing time outlook.
Berglund's past season could best be described as inconsistent and one dimensional, at least in fantasy terms. His 17 goals ranked 17th in the league which puts him in the second tier of NHL goal scorers. But his inconsistency and mere eight assists make him a difficult daily play. He led the league is shooting percentage at 23 percent, but the goals come in serious bunches and the dry spells in between are hard to swallow. The sixth-year center signed a one-year contract by his choice, thinking that it will be an incentive for him to take his game to the next level. We hope so. There's plenty of potential there, but it has been a long time coming.
Berglund continues to be a frustrating part of the Blues' youth movement. Just when it seems like he's arrived and has become a consistent part of the team's success, Berglund regresses. After a 52-point (22-goal) outburst in 2010-11, Berglund dropped to 38 points (19 goals, 19 assists) last season, though he was able to maintain a positive plus-minus ratio. He had a nice run in the postseason, amassing seven points in nine games while bringing an aggression that he's only shown in spurts during his first four seasons in St. Louis. Will he tease this season? Will he use his size to make more impact? That's where we're at with Berglund. He'll be the second-line center and will have quality wingers to augment his game.
Berglund made the necessary adjustments in his game in 2010-11, leading to career-highs in goals and assists and a team-leading eight goals on the power play. It wasn’t just the drop off in points during his sophomore season that had the St. Louis organization wondering about Berglund, but it was his unwillingness to play in the tough spaces in front of the net or use his size. He’ll center the Blues’ second line and see time on the power play.
No Blue disappointed more than Patrik Berglund in 2009-10 -- and that's saying something considering the volume of underachievers on last season's team. He played with little aggressiveness and was easily taken off the puck, while dropping off 21 points from his rookie season. The 21-year-old found himself a healthy scratch on a few occasions and was sat a game for showing up late to practice. His ice time dropped in his second season. Berglund will be given every opportunity to regain his rookie form, and will likely start as the second-line center. But he didn't win himself a lot of support last season and will not be given a long leash.
Berglund's plus-19 led the Blues, very impressive for a rookie. The rap on him was that he was too light and got knocked off the puck easily, but he bulked up prior to the season and played 76 games. He'll certainly get more ice time (14:43, 19.8 shifts per game last year), because he's a year more experienced in the NHL and because coach Andy Murray values guys who aren't defensive liabilities. Berglund's expected to center the second line, and with a greater number of complementary scoring threats in the top six, an improvement on his 21 goals can be expected.
The 6’4” play-making Swede was considered a bit too frail for the rigors of the NHL but has bulked up to 210 pounds (from last year’s listed 187) and is also expected to make the team out of camp. Berglund has committed to playing in North America this season and would wind up at Peoria of the AHL should he not make the team however, early indications point to Berglund filling a top 6 forward role for the Blues with significant power play time.
The tall, lanky Swede has good puck skills but needs to use his size more and get stronger on the puck. He has a chance to be on the Blues' roster this season with a good training camp, but if not, he will return to Sweden to play with Vasteras of the Swedish 2 League.
Berglund is a big kid at 6-4, but is rail thin at 187 pounds. The 25th overall selection in the 2006 draft, Berglund has a good all-around game, but he still needs to be polished. He will spend the next few seasons in Sweden.
Berglund is a real sleeper in the 2006 draft. He has all the pieces -- size, speed, skill and toughness -- to be a true offensive forward in the NHL. Right now, he's skinny (187 lbs) for his 6'3" frame but he merely has to fill out his just-turned 18 year old frame to perhaps become a star. He saw his stock rise after he led Sweden with four goals in six games at the 2006 World Under-18 tournament. Make a note of this guy's name -- he's a few years away but he could be an excellent late-round fantasy prospect pick who becomes a goal-scoring machine.
