Red Wings place defenseman on waivers amid trade speculation

The move arrives only days after the 26-year-old returned from injured reserve, and it raises fresh questions about how Detroit plans to shape its blue line this season.

Bernard-Docker is not waiver exempt, which means any attempt to send him to AHL Grand Rapids exposes him to the rest of the league. That reality has loomed over his situation since training camp.

An upper-body injury sidelined him to start the year, and he was activated on Oct. 8 after missing Detroit's first three games.

By then, the Red Wings were carrying eight active defensemen, a crowded group that left little room for a depth option.

The numbers explain part of the squeeze. Rookie Anton Johansson impressed in camp, while Andreas Englund arrived off waivers from Calgary in late September. Simon Edvinsson's unsigned status also keeps the picture unsettled, since his return would tighten the logjam even further.

If another club takes a chance, it would be getting a steady defensive presence rather than a point producer. Bernard-Docker appeared in 63 games for Detroit last season, finishing with five points, 87 blocked shots and 66 hits while averaging 14:49 of ice time.

Ottawa selected him 26th overall in 2018, and he has since played 207 NHL games across Ottawa, Buffalo and Detroit.

His contract is another factor. Detroit signed him to a two-year extension worth $3.2 million this offseason, a price that makes him a manageable pickup for teams searching for a right-shot defender. That could invite a claim, although clubs often pass on depth players at this point in the schedule.

If he clears, Bernard-Docker can report to Grand Rapids and stay in the organization as injury insurance.

If he is claimed, Detroit loses a defenseman it valued enough to extend only months ago and will lean on its younger options. Either outcome keeps the spotlight on how the Red Wings sort out their defense in the weeks ahead.

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