Red Wings Sign Jacob Bernard-Docker to One-Year Contract

Defenseman Has Skated in 144 Games with Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres Since 2020-21

The Detroit Red Wings today signed defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker to a one-year contract with an average annual value of $875,000.

Bernard-Docker, 25, split the 2024-25 season between the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres. The 6-foot-1, 198-pound blueliner recorded four points (1-3-4), a plus-two rating and four penalty minutes in 25 games with the Senators, before adding points (1-3-4), a plus-three rating and 13 penalty minutes in 15 games with the Sabres. Bernard-Docker spent the majority of the 2023-24 campaign with the Senators, tallying 14 points (4-10-14) and 25 penalty minutes in 72 games. He also skated in two games with the American Hockey League’s Belleville Senators in 2023-24. Originally selected by Ottawa in the first round (26th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Bernard-Docker has collected 24 points (6-18-24) and 57 penalty minutes in 144 NHL games with the Senators and Sabres since 2020-21. Bernard-Docker also picked up 15 points (4-11-15), a plus-16 rating and 59 penalty minutes in 101 AHL games with Belleville from 2021-24.

Prior to turning professional, Bernard-Docker played three seasons at the University of North Dakota, where he registered 60 points (15-45-60), a plus-35 rating and 38 penalty minutes in 95 games from 2018-21. Bernard-Docker was named NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year and earned Second Team All-NCHC honors as a junior in 2020-21, helping the program win the Penrose Cup as NCHC regular-season champions and the NCHC Frozen Faceoff title. He also captured a NCHC regular-season championship with North Dakota as a sophomore in 2019-20. The Canmore, Alta., native logged 63 points (27-36-63) and 46 penalty minutes in 103 games with the Okotoks Oilers in the Alberta Junior Hockey League from 2016-18. On the international stage, Bernard-Docker won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2021 IIHF World Championship. He also secured a gold medal at the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, netting one goal and six penalty minutes in seven games. Bernard-Docker was a gold medalist with Canada White at the 2017 World Junior A Challenge, finishing with three points (1-2-3) and two penalty minutes in five games.