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Red Wings place defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker on waivers

The Red Wings put defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker on NHL waivers Saturday; he has not played this season after an upper-body injury in training camp.

Shaun
1–2 minutes

The Detroit Red Wings placed defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker on NHL waivers on Saturday, Oct. 17. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was first to report the move, and Daily Faceoff said the plan is for the 26-year-old to clear and report to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins to get up to game speed. If another team claims him before Sunday’s deadline, he would join that club with his contract.

Bernard-Docker has not played this season. He went on injured reserve with an upper-body injury on Sept. 28 and was activated Oct. 8, but Detroit has dressed 11 forwards and seven defensemen in recent games, and he was not among the seven: Moritz Seider, Ben Chiarot, Justin Faulk, William Wallinder, Anton Johansson, Albert Johansson, and Andreas Englund.

He is in the first season of a two-year, $3.2 million contract signed in March, carrying a $1.6 million cap hit through 2027-28, with the same salary in the NHL or the minors. He played 63 games for Detroit last season, with one goal and four assists, and has 29 points in 207 career NHL games with Ottawa, Buffalo, and Detroit.

Why now

The team has not explained the move, and the coverage points to more than one possible reason. Detroit Hockey Now listed three: opening a roster spot for injured center J.T. Compher, giving Bernard-Docker game action in Grand Rapids after his injury, and clearing room for unsigned defenseman Simon Edvinsson. The outlet also reported that an NHL source described “positive movement” in the Edvinsson talks in recent days. Nothing has been announced, and Edvinsson remains on the injured non-roster list over the contract dispute.

Compher, Marco Kasper, and Mason Appleton were all out with injuries for Saturday’s game against San Jose. Coach Todd McLellan said this week that Compher still was not ready to return.

The Red Wings open a four-game Western road trip Tuesday at Seattle.

Sources

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