A towering presence from Sweden is set to test himself on North American ice.
Carl-Otto Magnusson, a 6’7”, 223-pound defenseman with a frame built for the rigors of the modern game, has earned an invitation to the Detroit Red Wings’ training camp ahead of the upcoming season.
The news, confirmed by his agent Randy Edmonds on social media, offers the undrafted 19-year-old a rare opportunity to measure his game against professional competition.
Though ineligible to sign with Detroit this year, Magnusson’s camp appearance will serve as both an audition and an education. Passed over in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, he now has the chance to leave an impression that could open doors in seasons to come.
His physical gifts are undeniable. The question — one that has defined many raw, physically imposing prospects — is whether he can sharpen the finer points of his game to match his natural reach and strength. If he can pair disciplined positioning and improved puck skills with the advantages he was born with, Magnusson could yet carve out a place in the world’s best league.
Magnusson’s path to Detroit’s camp has already taken a transatlantic turn
The Swedish defenseman recently departed Frölunda HC to join the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL, who claimed him in the second round of the 2025 CHL Import Draft. His experience at the senior level remains limited — three appearances with Frölunda’s SHL squad last season, with just one game of actual ice time — but the move to junior hockey in North America signals an intent to adapt to the smaller ice and faster pace that define the NHL.
On the international stage, Magnusson has worn Sweden’s colors at the junior level, including the 2025 World Junior Summer Showcase in Minneapolis, where he went scoreless over five games. He has also been named to the Juniorkronorna roster for the team’s upcoming U.S. tour.
The reality, however, is unvarnished: without a marked leap forward, Magnusson is unlikely to develop into an elite NHL player. This training camp invitation is a pivotal moment, perhaps the most consequential of his career to date. A tepid showing will narrow his future options; a strong one could pry open doors that once seemed sealed.
Magnusson’s game is built for trench work — winning battles at the net-front and along the boards — but at the NHL level, such tools alone risk relegating him to a situational, power-play-specific role. Should he refine his skating and puck-handling to complement his imposing reach and strength, the blueprint changes entirely.
In that case, he could evolve into a defensive anchor, capable of disrupting attacks and dictating the game’s tempo from the blue line. For now, the potential is there — the rest will be determined by how urgently he pursues it.
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