Jacob Bernard-Docker 'Pumped' to Join Red Wings

Among the handful of new names that fans of the Detroit Red Wings could be seeing a lot of in the coming season is defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker, who was signed to a one-year contract by GM Steve Yzerman.

Bernard-Docker played for both the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres last season, and already has 144 games of NHL experience under his belt. And he's already looking forward to adding to his total with the Red Wings. 

"There's a lot of potential there, and it's a team on the right trajectory," he said. "I'm super excited to go in there and show what I got and hopefully be a contributor."

Bernard-Docker drew parallels between the young, rising core of players he suited up alongside with in Ottawa and Buffalo as part of the reason behind his excitement. 

"In a way it's a similar group to where I was in Ottawa, with a real good young core, Buffalo had a real good core," he said. "They're (Detroit) on that edge of breaking out. There's a lot of real good players on the team.

"I'm just pretty pumped about the fit there."

Bernard-Docker will be competing for a roster spot in Training Camp with Justin Holl and Albert Johansson, the latter of which emerged as a reliable option by playing in 61 games in his rookie season.

An area of play for the Red Wings that he can help improve is the penalty killing, which was in danger of being the lowest ranked in NHL history at one point in late 2024 and ultimately finished 32nd overall at just 70.1 percent. 

"That's one area where I was really looking to develop and show kind of how I played in the minors and, maybe I haven't showed as much as I'd like to in the NHL yet," Bernard-Docker said. "It's an area that I really think is a strong part of my game. I'm willing to block shots and I'm pretty good on my stick, areas that I'd really like to show."

Selected by the Senators in the 2018 NHL Draft with the 26th overall pick, Bernard-Docker enjoyed a breakout season in 2023-24, appearing in 72 games and scoring four goals with 10 assists. But a high-ankle sprain earlier this year in January derailed his season, causing him to miss several weeks.

He was then traded to the Sabres along with Josh Norris in the deal that brought Dylan Cozens to the Senators on March 7. In the 15 games he played in a Buffalo uniform, he scored a goal while adding three assists.