Red Wings Place Jacob Bernard-Docker On Waivers

The Red Wings have been carrying nine defensemen through the early going this season, something that’s largely unsustainable.  They’ve taken a step toward reducing that surplus as Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports (Twitter link) that blueliner Jacob Bernard-Docker has been placed on waivers.

The 26-year-old joined Detroit in the 2025 offseason, inking a one-year, $875K contract in the hopes that a fresh start could eventually give him a more permanent place in the lineup.  Last year, that was largely the case.  Bernard-Docker played in 63 games (compared to just 40 the year before between two different teams) and while he only put up five points offensively, he logged nearly 15 minutes per game of ice time while chipping in with 87 blocked shots and 66 hits.  That performance was good enough for the Red Wings to sign him to a new two-year, $3.2MM deal back in March.

Things haven’t gone quite as planned this season.  Bernard-Docker has yet to see any game action through Detroit’s first seven games as he effectively slipped to ninth on the depth chart.  Youngsters Anton Johansson and Axel Sandin Pellikka have played their way ahead of him, as has preseason waiver pickup Andreas Englund.  Meanwhile, Simon Edvinsson remains unsigned, but will need a roster spot once he agrees to terms of a contract, so something had to give.  That something is Bernard-Docker’s roster spot.

Bernard-Docker was a first-round pick by Ottawa back in 2018, going 26th overall.  Despite his draft status, he has largely been limited to third-pairing minutes across parts of six NHL seasons, spanning 207 games where he has 29 points, 328 blocks, and 188 hits in 14:58 per night of average playing time.  If a team claimed him off waivers, he presumably would find himself in a similar role with his new club.

Teams will have until 1 PM CT to place a claim on Bernard-Docker and if they do, they’ll assume the $1.6MM cap charge through next season.  If he passes through unclaimed, Detroit will be able to send him to AHL Grand Rapids, opening up $1.225MM in cap space while the remaining $375K would remain on their books.