The Detroit Red Wings announced today that they have signed defenseman William Wallinder to a two-year, two-way contract. Wallinder, selected 32nd overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, is now waiver ineligible. The 23-year-old defenseman had a good year with the Grand Rapids Griffins, putting up 20 points in 66 games with the club.
Wallinder is one of eight defensemen under contract with the Red Wings right now. The others include Moritz Seider, Ben Chiarot, Justin Faulk, Albert Johansson, Jacob Bernard-Docker and Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Simon Edvinsson is the only remaining defenseman still yet be extended by the organization, though his deal will come at a much higher term and salary.
Wiith that in mind, what does Wallinder bring to the Red Wings? And what is Yzerman's rationale with signing a 23-year-old defenseman to a deal like this?
What Wallinder can bring to the Red Wings
It's not that Wallinder isn't NHL material - it's that there's a supreme logjam of defenders on Detroit's roster. Seider and Edvinsson make up the top pairing, while Faulk and Chiarot take on second pairing duties. That leaves the bottom pair, currently comprised of Johansson and Bernard-Docker. As far as the next man up goes, Axel Sandin-Pellikka looks to be the top candidate to break through next season.
So where does that leave Wallinder?
Does he take over Travis Hamonic's duty as the extra defenseman on the roster? Or does Yzerman have another plan in the works?
Wallinder is a perfectly adequate defenseman, but he has yet to get any serious NHL time. At 23 years old, it's hard to believe he's going to evolve into the top-four defenseman he was projected to be during his draft year. This move could be the sign of a deal that's yet to come. Perhaps one of the current starting defensemen on the roster is on the move.
Or, perhaps, Wallinder is valued higher in the organization than most people realize.
Either way, the current radio silence from the Red Wings is nothing short of deafening.
Where this move leaves the Red Wings
The Red Wings have a lot of legwork they have to do before Day 1 of the 2026 NHL Draft tomorrow. They're one of two teams in the Atlantic Division that haven't made any moves thus far this offseason. The other, the Montreal Canadiens, just enjoyed a trip to the Eastern Conference Final in the playoffs. There's no reason the Red Wings should be playing this passively at this juncture of the offseason.
Wallinder is far from Yzerman's top priority this offseason, but it's something he had to get done sooner or later.
Time will tell where Wallinder winds up starting next season, whether that's with the Red Wings, the Griffins or another club altogether.
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