According to the Edmonton Journal’s Jim Matheson, it wasn’t easy for scouts to get their eyes on 2019 Red Wings draft pick Carter Gylander, who split time with the Alberta Junior Hockey League’s Sherwood Park Crusaders. As a result, Gylander dropped to 191st overall:
Gylander, who turned 18 June 5, only played 22 games for the AJHL club, just 1,256 minutes, but when he did play he was very good, 16-4, 2.43 average, .915 save percentage for the Crusaders, and he caught the eye of the Detroit Red Wings. They picked him with their last pick in the seventh round Saturday.
“He was protected on what teams he played against, he was tough to get a book on … but his size is intriguing,” said an NHL bird-dog who watches teams in Western Canada. “He didn’t play much but there was one night in January or February when I was out watching him play and Tyler (director of scouting Wright) was there, the big shots were out to see him,” said Rick Jackson, one of Central Scouting’s Western evaluators, who had been a big fan for months, pumping his tires.
The six-foot-five Gylander, who lives in Beaumont, went 191st overall Saturday at the draft. Before you say that’s a throwaway pick, Henrik Lundqvist went to New York Rangers in the same round in 2000 (205th). Pekka Rinne’s name was called in the eighth by Nashville in 2004, No. 258.
So Gylander, who has a scholarship to Colgate in Hamilton, N.Y., for 2020-2021, was just thrilled to get a phone call Saturday afternoon. He’s got prototypical NHL goalie size. “I’m sure he’ll be the starter for the Crusaders this season,” said Jackson
