Detroit signed Jacob Bernard-Docker to a two-year extension worth $3.2 million in March. On Sunday, the Red Wings sent him to the Grand Rapids Griffins. Detroit announced the assignment after Bernard-Docker cleared waivers, a day after the Wings placed him on waivers with the intention of sending him down. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported the clear. The move takes Detroit off the nine defensemen it had been carrying and parks most of a $1.6 million cap hit in the AHL.
For both the Red Wings and the Griffins, this is fantastic news. Grand Rapids bolsters its blue line after losing both Anton Johansson and William Wallinder to the Wings, and Detroit has a depth defenseman in the chamber in case somebody gets injured. The Griffins are off to a 4-1-1-0 start.
What Jacob Bernard-Docker’s Move Saves Detroit
Bernard-Docker signed a two-year extension with Detroit worth $3.2 million, a $1.6 million AAV, in March of 2026. Sending him down clears the overcrowded blue line and opens up cap space. With him in Grand Rapids, his cap hit for Detroit is only $375,000, because $1.225 million of it is buried.
The relief a team can get is capped at the league minimum salary plus $375,000. The minimum for 2026-27 is $850,000, which puts the ceiling at $1.225 million. Subtract that from his $1.6 million AAV and Detroit is left carrying $375,000. The Wings already had cap space to work with, and this move gives the front office a little more room to make deals, which we, as fans, want.
Detroit Is Down to Eight Defensemen
The assignment brings Detroit’s defense group to eight: Ben Chiarot, Andreas Englund, Justin Faulk, Albert Johansson, Anton Johansson, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Moritz Seider and William Wallinder. It also sends a message to Anton Johansson and William Wallinder that the team is confident in their abilities so far. That matters especially for Wallinder, who is no longer waiver-exempt and would have to clear waivers to be sent back down to Grand Rapids, which he would not. Both rookie defensemen have played well, and both have already scored their first NHL goals this month. Both have been solid defensively as well.
The Roster Spot Simon Edvinsson Will Need
What fans are hoping this move means is that Simon Edvinsson and Detroit are getting closer to terms, and that he could join the team again. Edvinsson is still an unsigned restricted free agent, he cannot play in the NHL until he has a contract, and he will need a roster spot the moment he signs. Although our blue line has been decently solid, Moritz Seider and the second and third pairings would benefit greatly from an Edvinsson return. It would bolster our defensive depth and force Detroit to make harder decisions on defense, which is a good problem to have. Getting him signed is still the priority, before a rival pushes the issue with an offer sheet.