Red Wings lock in Jacob Bernard-Docker with two-year extension
The Detroit Red Wings have secured defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker with a two-year contract extension. The deal, worth an average of $1.6 million per season, comes after a solid first year with the team in 2025-26. Bernard-Docker joined the Red Wings ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, following stints with the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres. In the previous season, he split time between both clubs before landing in Detroit. This year, he has played 55 games, contributing four assists, a plus-five rating, and 37 shots on goal. His defensive play has also stood out, with 83 blocked shots and 58 hits.
Before turning professional, Bernard-Docker spent three seasons at the University of North Dakota. There, he recorded 60 points and a plus-35 rating in 95 games, earning the NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year award in 2020-21. His international career includes gold medals with Team Canada at both the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship and the 2021 IIHF World Championship. Since making his NHL debut in 2020-21, the 25-year-old has appeared in 199 games across three teams. Over that span, he has tallied 28 points and accumulated 75 penalty minutes.
The extension keeps Bernard-Docker in Detroit through the 2027-28 season. His experience at both the collegiate and international levels, combined with his steady NHL performance, adds depth to the Red Wings' defensive lineup. The team will rely on his physical play and puck-moving ability in the coming years.
