At #32, Red Wings select William Wallinder (D). #LGRW— Red Wings Prospects (@DRWProspects) October 7, 2020
The Red Wings open the second round of the NHL Draft, taking 6’4″ Swedish defenseman William Wallinder with the No. 32 overall pick.— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 7, 2020
The #RedWings select D William Wallinder with the 32nd pick (second round) of the #NHLDraft.— The Athletic Detroit (@TheAthleticDET) October 7, 2020
With the 32nd pick in the 2020 #NHLDraft, the #RedWings select D William Wallinder.#DRWDraft x #LGRW— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 7, 2020
https://t.co/Fwf4ipdsUv— Sarah Lindenau (@Lindy72) October 7, 2020
Defenseman William Wallinder. One of those guys that slid just a little bit. Figured they’d go defense after going with Raymond at No 4.— DetroitHockey.Net (@detroithockey96) October 7, 2020
Red Wings have picked William Wallinder out of Modo the Allsvenskan (SWE) with the first pick of the second round.— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) October 7, 2020
https://t.co/sik3ktVJto— Sarah Lindenau (@Lindy72) October 7, 2020
https://t.co/AbOOspk7iX— Sarah Lindenau (@Lindy72) October 7, 2020
With the first pick in the 2nd round (32nd) of #nhldraft2020 Red Wings select D William Wallinder.
Red Wings do love their Swedes.— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) October 7, 2020
#RedWings select defenseman William Wallinder, 6-4, 191, from Modo (Sweden) with first pick in second round (32nd overall). They pick again at 45.— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) October 7, 2020
The 18-year-old Swede is a smooth-skating blueliner with a fluid and long stride. He is dexterous with the puck on his stick and loves transitioning it up ice thanks to his skill set.— Sarah Lindenau (@Lindy72) October 7, 2020
william wallinder @ModoHockey sweden
six-feet-four, 192lbs
rated 14-47
twin tower, with seider, potentially.
gotta eat, 192, now, could play at 215, 200.
skating, an attribute. a puck carrier who rushes. #RedWings 2020 second round, 32nd.— gregg krupa (@greggkrupa) October 7, 2020
Production-wise, Wallinder opened eyes with four points through four games in the Junior Club World Championship, but was quiet at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and Five Nations tournament. He’s noticeable, though, even when he’s not scoring.— Sarah Lindenau (@Lindy72) October 7, 2020
The Detroit Red Wings take William Wallinder with the 32nd pick. A big, smooth-skating defenseman from Modo in Sweden, Wallinder scored at a high-rate in the time he spent in the junior league last season. Wallinder has a lot of the tools that teams value in a modern defenseman. pic.twitter.com/A96IKYMsea— The Point (@ThePointHockey) October 7, 2020
Wallinder scouting report by @Scouching:https://t.co/XJhcDX6fm3— Red Wings Prospects (@DRWProspects) October 7, 2020
https://t.co/VNhNrVDsrs— Sarah Lindenau (@Lindy72) October 7, 2020
The Red Wings have nine picks in the NHL Draft’s second day. They took 6’4″ Swedish defenseman William Wallinder with the 32nd overall pick. https://t.co/QU2q9vT0C5— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 7, 2020
His skating ranks him among the best, if not as the best in the this year’s draft class. It is technically perfect, making use of long, high strides to gain speed, and his edgework allows him to throw off opponents with quick changes in direction, turning his big body with ease.— Sarah Lindenau (@Lindy72) October 7, 2020
#32 William Wallinder #Redwings
6’4 defenseman with elegant, smooth skating and great puck skills. Good passer as well. Has his main strength tied to the transition game. Needs to improve his defense and decision making. Has a great foundation that oozes potential.— Christoffer Hedlund (@ChrHedlund) October 7, 2020
Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but Wallinder, the newest Red Wings’ draft pick defenseman is massive at 6-foot-4. Listed by central scouting at 191 lbs so lots of room to fill out. @coreypronman had him 52 on his board, @scottcwheeler had him no. 36.— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) October 7, 2020
Also very young, as a late July birthdate.— Max Bultman (@m_bultman) October 7, 2020
Per WDIV’s David Barkowiak Jr.:
The Detroit Red Wings have selected Swedish defenseman William Wallinder at 32nd overall in the 2020 NHL Draft.
Here’s how Wallinder is described by Elite Prospects:
“Wallinder towers over the competition, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 194 pounds — there’s plenty of room for him to fill out that frame. He might be the most technically skilled skater among all defenceman in this draft. He’s a great puck-carrier, eager to lead his team up the ice, and with a great deal of initiative in creative offensive chances.”
#RedWings William Wallinder: https://t.co/QJUbZB5qt8— Dana Wakiji (@Dwakiji) October 7, 2020
Welcome to Detroit, William ‼️#DRWDraft x @LabattUSA pic.twitter.com/bI3kbAlgux— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 7, 2020
They used the 32nd pick on Swedish defenseman William Wallinder, a 6-4, 191 pounder who plays for MODO. He’s a mobile puck carrier with an eye for creating offense.
https://t.co/yvDwKDL43z— Sarah Lindenau (@Lindy72) October 7, 2020
Wallinder https://t.co/ljvW7YLbTe— L.A. Lariviere (@L_A_theRiver) October 7, 2020
DetroitRedWings.com’s Dana Wakiji profiled Wallinder:
Dobber Hockey said of the 6-foot, 178-pound blueliner, “Defenders like O’Rourke are often better players in reality than fantasy. He has the ability to move the puck out of his own zone and doesn’t shy away from using his body. He could be valuable in multi-cat leagues if he can find a way to produce at a moderate level in the NHL. He is a safe defender who should be able to win the goal differential battle, an emerging stat in some advanced leagues. O’Rourke’s offensive game may be suppressed by his defensive instincts. Often times he bails on the offensive zone much earlier than he should and while that puts him in a good defensive position, he limits his own offensive value.”
On the other hand, Red Line Report thought much more highly of O’Rourke, ranking him 15th overall: “Terrific initial burst and acceleration. Snaps passes off while on the fly. Strong anticipation and play recognition. Makes life difficult on opposing forwards in front of own goal and shows surprising bite to his game, initiating heavy contact in board battles. Very good hockey sense to go with puck skill. Makes a crisp first pass and is calm under forechecking pressure. Turns play quickly up ice in transition, and can lug it out of the zone and make strong plays at speed working through the neutral zone. Excellent vision and distribution skills running the PP. Gets full weight behind his shots for strong velocity. Vocal; communicates with teammates and directs traffic. Plays 2-on-1s perfectly. Strong lateral footwork and gap control. Has an active stick in the defensive zone and is a smart positionally. Stays with his check and lifts sticks from behind. In short, the most underrated blueliner in the draft.”
Here’s a bit from the Detroit News’s Mark Falkner:
The Detroit Red Wings drafted Swedish defenseman William Wallinder with the first pick of the second round on Wednesday morning.
Wallinder (6’4″, 191 pounds) had five goals and 19 assists in 37 games with Modo’s junior team and was a member of Sweden’s bronze-medal winning team at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Wallinder was drafted 32nd overall by the Red Wings at the 2020 NHL Entry Draft on Wednesday.
Pre-draft opinions on Wallinder were all over the map. His supporters point to a massive, 6-foot-4 kid with excellent foot speed and a late July birthday. Those type of guys don’t grow on trees. Wallinder’s detractors question his creativity and natural offensive instincts. The big Swede is raw and far from a finished product, but his long-term upside is immense. Wallinder should be able to carve out a long NHL career due to his mobility and reach alone. If his offensive game eventually comes along, look out. Wallinder was a worthy risk for Detroit at this point in the draft. Players will his potential are rarely found in Round 2.
The Detroit Red Wings selected big, mobile defenseman William Wallinder from Modo (Sweden) with the first pick of the second round Wednesday at the NHL draft.
Wallinder is described by NHL Central Scouting as “Big, mobile, two-way defenseman with good passing skills and hockey sense. Plays with confidence and authority. Likes to join the offense.”
Wallinder, who shoots left, appeared in 37 games with Modo’s junior team, picking up five goals and 17 assists. He played in 18 games for the second division club (no goals, two assists).
Red Line Report said of Wallinder: “He’s both imposing and highly mobile. He could use some more intensity and urgency around his own end, but he’s willing to bang bodies and can skate the puck out of danger and go end-to-end. He’s got a huge point blast, makes rocket stretch passes, and has the vision to be a big offensive contributor.”
William Wallinder
Wallinder barely produced during his brief pro stint in 2019-20. However, he impressed for Modo’s junior team in that same campaign, collecting five goals and 19 assists in 37 games at the lower level.
The blue-liner is now back playing in the Allsvenskan – Sweden’s second-highest pro league – to start the 2020-21 season, which recently got underway.
Wallinder also has international experience after representing his country at several tournaments over the last two years.
NHL Central Scouting pegged him 14th among European skaters on its final rankings of the draft-eligible players. He slipped over the second half after slotting in seventh at the midterm.
What they’re saying
“With his reach and feet, he is quite solid defensively and projects to make stops at the higher levels,” The Athletic’s Corey Pronman wrote.
However, Pronman also noted Wallinder has his flaws.
“I wouldn’t call him a natural puck-mover, though,” he added. “I could see him becoming a real player from what I’ve seen of his best days, but I want to see those best days more consistently.”
Dobber Prospects on #RedWings William Wallinder: https://t.co/gGD6o1smKR— Dana Wakiji (@Dwakiji) October 7, 2020
The @DetroitRedWings used the first pick of Round 2 to select defenseman William Wallinder.
Wallinder appeared in 18 games with MODO’s men’s club in Sweden’s second division in 2019-20, where he registered a pair of assists.
Pick-by-pick coverage: https://t.co/6DbHZUvRjU pic.twitter.com/vVx3ohqjem— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) October 7, 2020
#RedWings https://t.co/256vDTyHIp— Dana Wakiji (@Dwakiji) October 7, 2020
Wallinder was the 17th-ranked European skater by NHL Central Scouting:
• Recorded 5-19—24 in 37 GP for Modo’s junior team in 2019-20
• Appeared in 18 games with Modo’s men’s club in Sweden’s second division in 2019-20 where he registered a pair of assists
• Helped Team Sweden earn a bronze medal at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup
• His favorite player growing up was current Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson
Scouting Report: Big, mobile, two-way defenseman with good passing skills and hockey sense. Plays with confidence and authority. Likes to join the offense.
Current Player Comparable: Victor Hedman
The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan on Wallinder:
Sure enough, it was a guy many scouts projected to go higher.
With the first pick of the second round Wednesday, the Red Wings selected defenseman William Wallinder, a player many NHL mock drafts had going in the first round.
A 6-foot-4 191-pound defenseman who was generally rated in the top-20 of most mock drafts, Wallinder is a mobile defenseman who is stronger offensively than defensively. but will be given time to mature and grow physically.
Red Wings second round pick William Wallinder said “everyone knows Nicklas Lidstrom.” He called Lidstrom the greatest Swedish defenseman ever.
Wallinder also said he watched a ton of Niklas Kronwall’s hits. pic.twitter.com/4kijahSDe5— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 7, 2020
“I know it doesn’t matter if you go in the first round or the second round,” Red Wings pick William Wallinder said.
“The only thing that matters is what you do after the draft. You can’t stop working because you didn’t go in the first round.”— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 7, 2020
William Wallinder said he talked with the Red Wings throughout the draft process.
“I could see it coming, and it feels really good,” he said.— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 7, 2020
Wallinder: “I could see it coming. It feels good” said he talked to #RedWings often during the draft process— Ted Kulfan (@tkulfan) October 7, 2020
#NHLDRAFT ROUND 2
#32 – DET – William Wallinderhttps://t.co/5WBxF7tsPf
#33 – OTT – Roby Järventiehttps://t.co/ha1UtAPliC
#34 – BUF – John-Jason Peterkahttps://t.co/C6ddamD8Qf
#35 – LA – Helge Granshttps://t.co/Tw7EpPsneC pic.twitter.com/4U9fC8Svut— Eliteprospects (@eliteprospects) October 7, 2020
Ted Kulfan interviewed Wallinder:
With the first pick of the second round, the Red Wings selected Wallinder, a player many NHL mock drafts had going in the first round.
“Of course I was nervous,” Wallinder said of waiting around Wednesday, during a Zoom interview with reporters. “But I was not too upset. I know it doesn’t matter if you go in the first or second rounds. There’s a lot of good players, and the only thing that matters is what you do after the draft. You still keep working hard and going for it. You can’t stop working because you didn’t go in the first round.
A 6-foot-4 191-pound defenseman who was generally rated in the top-20 of most mock drafts, Wallinder is a mobile defenseman who is stronger offensively than defensively. but will be given time to mature and grow physically.
“I’m working a lot on my positioning in the defensive zone,” Wallinder said. “I have improved it a lot and I’m just trying to get better at things. That’s important, to be good at everything.”
So it really doesn’t matter (where you are drafted); it just feels good to be a player for the Detroit Red Wings.”
Wallinder admitted he had plenty of communication with the Wings through the process, so he had an inkling they were interested.
“I talked to them (a lot),” Wallinder said. “I could see it coming, and it feels good.”
With the 32nd pick, the @DetroitRedWings select Swedish Defenseman William Wallinder. Shortly after his selection, he chatted with the media about joining an organization that has done very well for Swedish players. #NHLDraft #DETDraft #LGRW pic.twitter.com/hCWH5bPkoY— FOX Sports Detroit (@FOXSportsDet) October 7, 2020
Here’s Wallinder with Art Regner:
Happy to have ya, William! #DRWDraft pic.twitter.com/YrkuObUuAm— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 7, 2020
Red Wings second round pick (No. 32 overall) William Willander is a Swedish defenseman.
“I watched Kronwall a lot when I was younger. A lot of his hits. Everyone knows who Lidstrom is. He’s the best Swedish defenseman who ever played,” he said. #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/qljauzqDRy— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) October 7, 2020
