William Wallinder is walking into training camp with a very clear challenge in front of him: make Detroit keep him, or risk being exposed to waivers. For a player who has already logged 194 AHL regular-season games and 20 more in the playoffs, this feels like the moment the Red Wings have been circling for a while.
The 24-year-old defenseman was taken 32nd overall in the 2020 draft, and he arrives in this season’s camp still looking for his first NHL game. Detroit’s coaching staff will get four preseason games to sort out where he fits, but the clock is no longer friendly. Wallinder is no longer waiver exempt, and with his size - 6-5, 210 pounds - there is a strong chance another team would take a shot if he were left available.
His path has become a snapshot of the criticism that followed the Steve Yzerman regime for how slowly it moved prospects along. While plenty of teams try to give young players a taste of the NHL to fuel their development, Detroit never really worked that way with Wallinder. Now he’s showing up at age 24 without having worn the Winged Wheel in a regular-season game.
Last season in Grand Rapids, Wallinder was part of a Griffins team that was built on defending first. The Griffins led the AHL by allowing 2.20 goals per game, and Wallinder was an important piece of that structure. He also helped on a penalty-killing unit that finished at 86.7%.
Grand Rapids coach Dan Watson said, “He kills a lot of plays with a stick and his feet,” Watson said. “He’s a very good skater.
He’s good with a good line rush against, reads and sorts, and killing those types of plays and I think it’s transition game, too. You know, if he can move the puck fast, he can join the rush a little bit more.
I think that’s still another area of his game. I think there’s still more offense into his game.
Just picking the right spots and making sure he’s executing those.”
That defensive profile is the reason Wallinder still has a real shot to stick. He plays a steady, low-risk game, and he knows how to use his size, reach and mobility to break up rushes. He’s also worked hard to become better in one-on-one situations, and the overall package points toward a future as a dependable third-pairing defenseman.
The question is whether that is enough to get him on the roster now. Wallinder has produced 15, 19 and 20 points across his three AHL seasons, and he’s not expected to suddenly become a big scorer.
In fact, he says he does not view himself as an offensive player. If he wants to win ice time in Detroit, he’ll have to be clearly better defensively than the other two-way defensemen in the mix.
The Red Wings have already shown some faith in him by giving him a two-year contract with one-way money - $750,000 - in his second season. Watson still sees room for Wallinder to contribute more at the other end, even if the expectation is modest.
“I’m not talking a 20-goal scorer here,” Watson said. “But he certainly can chip in and be part of the offense a little bit more with the way he can skate and join the rush.”
In Other News...
Cale Makar Contract Talk Just Shifted In A Fascinating Direction
The Red Wings are still dealing with the kind of front-office limbo that can complicate even the most straightforward negotiations. Without a permanent general manager in place, Detroit has uncertainty hanging over its long-term contract work, and that matters especially with defenseman Simon Edvinsson in need of clarity as the organization moves toward important extension territory.
Edvinssons situation is part of a broader picture in which several notable defensemen are tied up in contract chatter around the league. While the Avalanche remain confident they will get a deal done with Cale Makar before the season begins, Detroits own talks may have to wait for the front office to settle itself first, leaving the Wings with a deadline looming and a key decision still unresolved. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Letting An Avoidable Edvinsson Issue Drag Too Far
The Red Wings are in a familiar sort of offseason holding pattern, only this time it involves one of their most important young defensemen. Simon Edvinsson is a restricted free agent, Detroit still does not have a general manager in place, and meaningful extension talks have not gotten off the ground even though the club has the cap space to keep moving. With the calendar creeping toward the mid-September contract deadline, it is becoming harder to treat this as routine organizational housekeeping.
Edvinssons camp has made clear the process is stalled until the front office situation changes, which only sharpens the awkwardness around Detroits current setup. Interim GM Shawn Horcoff is there to bridge the gap, but the club has not put major roster authority in his hands, leaving an obvious decision in limbo while time keeps ticking. For a team trying to stabilize its future, this is the kind of avoidable delay that tends to linger longer than it should. [Read more 🡒]
Hilary Knight Is Giving Detroit's New Team A Real Hockeytown Feel
Detroits new PWHL franchise is already starting to feel like it belongs in the citys hockey conversation, even before the name is settled. Manon Rheaumes presence as general manager gave the club instant credibility, and adding Hilary Knight gives it the kind of star power that can make a new team matter right away. For a market that has always measured itself by hockey standards, that combination has a familiar kind of weight.
Knight has made no secret of how appealing the opportunity has been, and the early tone around the franchise has been all about fit, ambition and the chance to build something from the ground up in Detroit. The name still has not been finalized, which leaves one of the most visible pieces of the identity process unresolved, but Knight has already shown a willingness to lean into the local branding conversation. Even that part feels fitting for a team trying to establish a Hockeytown presence from day one. [Read more 🡒]