'I'm trying to have fun while I'm here'

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Last Thursday morning, Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde tried calling Jonatan Berggren to tell the 22-year-old forward prospect that he would be making his NHL debut later that night against the New York Rangers.

But Lalonde said he initially couldn't get ahold of Berggren.
"I called him once, number out of service," Lalonde said last Thursday. "I got a second number, then I left him a message."
When asked about his quick game of phone tag with Lalonde, Berggren smiled.
"I thought it was a spam call,"

"I get a lot of them. But he texted me and I knew that it was him, so then I called him, we talked a little about the game and just trying to have fun."
And Berggren did just that in his debut at Little Caesars Arena, recording his first career NHL assist and finishing with a plus-1 rating in 14:18 of ice time on Detroit's fourth line.

"I didn't actually have too many nerves," Berggren said. "It was a little bit at the hotel before I got to the rink, but then I got my routine and everybody was so nice to me. It was pretty easy to adapt."
Then in the first period of Tuesday's game against the Anaeim Ducks, Berggren scored his first NHL goal on a power play.
"It was fun to score my first NHL goal," Berggren said on Tuesday. "It was an unreal feeling when I saw the puck go in."
Berggren said he's taking this opportunity with the Red Wings, however long that might be, day by day.
"It's been amazing," said Berggren, who is on the trip with Detroit on its current four-game road trek. "It feels like a dream come true. I'm trying to have fun while I'm here, not think too much and just play hockey."

Prior to his call-up, Berggren had four goals and three assists in seven games this season with the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins.
"He's doing well there," Lalonde said. "I think he's the type of player that you don't want to have a yo-yoeffect with him, where some of our other guys are there for those short-term call-ups and have done an excellent job for us."
Berggren made his North American professional debut with the Griffins in 2021-22, setting franchise rookie records in assists (43), points (64), game-winning goals (seven) and overtime goals (three) in 70 games.

"I think the year in the AHL was very valuable for him last year and the handful of games down there this year were valuable for him," Lalonde said. "We just want to continue with that development and give him the right opportunities at the right time."
The 5-foot-11, 197-pound forward showed potential during training camp and the preseason but was assigned to the Griffins to start the season.
According to Berggren, his time in the AHL has been valuable.
"I feel I've adapted to the game in North America," Berggren said. "You have a lot less space, need to be a little harder on the puck and know what you're gonna do before you get the puck."
Berggren added while he's comfortable in his abilities, he knows there are specific parts of his game that must improve if he hopes to be with the NHL club for an extended period of time.
"I feel on offense, I have confidence in my game," Berggren said. "I'm just trying to be as good as I can be in the D-zone to not let goals in. I think that's the biggest thing I need to think about."