11-year NHL veteran planning to unretire and make a comeback

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Cooper Godin
April 29, 2023 (12:50)

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Just days after former NHL defenceman Christian Ehrhoff ended his five-year retirement to sign in Germany, another long-time NHLer is planning a comeback.

While on the 'Cam and Strick Podcast' earlier this week, Patrik Berglund announced that he was planning on playing next season and one team in the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden's second division, has already expressed interest.

Note: the following quote was translated from Swedish.

"Väster�s saw me when I was training and asked if I want to train with them and go on ice, so I did it for four months. They wanted me to pitch and I really did too but the team was so damn bad so I just wanted to stay out that season. Now I'm preparing to probably play next season," Berglund said.

Vasteras is Berglund's hometown team and he played for their youth system and eventually their men's team between 2004 and 2008 before making the jump to North America. He also suited up for them in 2012 before the NHL lockout ended.

Berglund, a former first-round pick of the Blues in 2006, appeared in 11 NHL seasons, ten with St. Louis and one with the Buffalo Sabres where he amassed 326 points in 717 career games. The 34-year-old also appeared in 60 games during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, recording 26 points.

After playing for the Sabres in 2018-19, he returned to Sweden, playing in two more seasons with Djurgardens IF and Brynas IF before retiring.

Source: Hockey Sverige

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