I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t see a young defenseman being recalled from the Grand Rapids Griffins to the Detroit Red Wings this season.
William Lagesson and Brogan Rafferty seemed to be the likely depth call-ups (even Josiah Didier if he’s not too busy in the sin bin)as they become needed. My calendar doesn’t even read 2025, yet, a young player is on his way (or is already in Hockeytown).
With the injuries to Simon Edvinsson and Ben Chiarot, there’s plenty of opportunity to go around and it’s likely not just one or two individuals will the holes left behind. Rather, it’s likely going to be a communal effort for everyone not named Moritz Seider (boy do I feel bad for that guy, but hey, it’s why he makes the big bucks and gets a few days off afterward).
Instead of bringing up the typical veteran player, the Detroit Red Wings made a surprising move in who they called up.
Detroit Red Wings William Wallinder was recalled from the Grand Rapids Griffins
William Wallinder is basically a Wish-version of Simon Edvinsson.
He can do almost everything (if not everything) that Edvinsson can, but not to the same degree or with as much consistency.
Both are big guys who skate well and have surprising skills for their size. They both protect the pucks well when they possess them, and their hands offer upgraded solutions to the problems most defensemen face.
Of course, Wallinder is his own player with his own abilities, but that’s just how I generalize him and his style of play (not trying to take anything away from Wallinder, just wanting to provide a helpful, quick snapshot of his game that fans might be familiar with).
In 19 games so far this season, Wallinder has one goal with seven assists for a total of eight points. He’s taken a two-minute penalty and has a -5 plus/minus rating. While those figures don’t jump off the page, Wallinder has shown some improvement in the offense as he’s only seven points behind the 15 total points he accumulated last season.
Wallinder is a well-rounded, two-way defenseman who is good in every zone on the ice. When he’s at his best, Wallinder is running a power play, is a go-to on the penalty kill, and is consistent in killing plays and getting the puck up the ice.
Although he can carry the puck, from what I’ve seen Wallinder tends to pass for his breakouts from the defensive zone. In some ways, I wish Wallinder would carry the puck more. He’s decent at protecting the puck and has surprising skill with nice hands for a tall fellow (he stands at 6’4”).
Wallinder isn’t overly physical, but he doesn’t shy away from it either. He’s not afraid to take or dish out hits as needed, but I wouldn’t say that’s a priority in his game—more of a byproduct of when the situation calls for it. His lack of penalties shows a level of emotional and physical discipline in his game as well.
Wallinder doesn’t seem to be too high or low on the ice, just maintaining a calm demeanor.
To me, Wallinder’s numbers don’t really tell his story well. He went from a player whom I questioned a lot last season (in terms of whether I could see him as part of the Detroit Red Wings plans) to someone who I rely on more often than not for the Grand Rapids Griffins. Wallinder has shown tremendous growth in his overall game and it’s refreshing to see.
Although he might not see any game action, it’s still a nice pat on the back for a young player who has worked so hard, and it’s a nice promise of things to come for the Detroit Red Wings.