Red Wings Sign Griffins’ Turner Elson: No Word on Berggren, Hellberg

The Detroit Red Wings signed Grand Rapids Griffins player Turner Elson for the final two games of the NHL season.

Elson, 29, is enjoying his best professional season with 21 goals and 45 points in 73 games. He boasts five game-winning goals this season. Because Elson was on AHL contract, the Red Wings needed to sign him to an NHL deal to use him.

It’s unknown whether the Red Wings will promote top forward prospect Jonatan Berggren for either of the last two games against the Maple Leafs or New Jersey Devils. Berggren (drafted 33rd overall in 2018) recently established a new Griffins’ record of 60 points by a rookie.

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Will Hellberg Get a Start?

The Red Wings also haven’t publicly confirmed they will play newly-signed Swedish goalie Magnus Hellberg before the season ends. The former Kontinental Hockey League goalie was seemingly signed to give him an opportunity show what he can do.

Detroit coach Jeff Blashill doesn’t publicly comment on who he plans to play in net. If he is going to play Hellberg, the finale against New Jersey would be better than playing him in Toronto. Hellberg has played four NHL games, three with the New York Rangers and one with the Nashville Predators. The last time he has appeared in an NHL game was 2016-17 for the Rangers. The Predators drafted him originally.

Elson and Riley Barber (24) are the first Griffins teammates with 20-plus goals each since Chris Terry (29) and Matt Puempel (24) in 2018-19. The alternate captain Elson has turned it on as of late with 18 points (8-10—18) in his last 24 games

The Red Wings recently lost forward Filip Zadina to an appendectomy and Tyler Bertuzzi can’t play in Toronto Tuesday because he is not vaccinated. Elston has played one previous NHL games, registering one assist for the Calgary Flames in 2015-16.