Author: George Malik

The Red Wings have retained Gustav Lindstrom’s services for the next two seasons.

The Red Wings posted a press release regarding Lindstrom’s re-signing…

DETROIT — The Detroit Red Wings today agreed to terms with defenseman Gustav Lindstrom on a two-year contract extension.

Lindstrom, 22, played in three different leagues during the 2020-21 campaign, finishing the season with a 13-game stint with the Red Wings where he logged three points (0-3-3), a plus-one rating, 14 hits and 17 blocked shots in 16:07 average time on ice. Lindstrom also skated in 13 games with the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins, registering three points (0-3-3) and eight penalty minutes. A native of Ostervala, Sweden, Lindstrom began the season with Almtuna IS in second-tier Sweden, picking up 11 points (0-11-11) and 20 penalty minutes in 20 games. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound defenseman has spent the majority of the last two seasons in North America, totaling four points (0-4-4) and 14 penalty minutes in 29 NHL games with Detroit and eight points (0-8-8) and 34 penalty minutes in 58 AHL games with Grand Rapids.

Originally drafted by the Red Wings in the second round (38th overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Lindstrom also played three full seasons professionally in Sweden prior to moving to North America. In 2018-19, Lindstrom helped Frolunda HC win a Swedish Hockey League championship, posting six points (3-3-6) and 50 penalty minutes in 40 regular-season games, in addition to posting six points (2-4-6) in 11 games as Frolunda also won the Champions League tournament. He’s also appeared in 107 games with Almtuna over two stints, tallying 34 points (8-26-34) and 80 penalty minutes in 107 games. Lindstrom also picked up a silver medal for Sweden at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, notching one assist in seven games. Prior to turning pro, Lindstrom totaled 14 points (6-8-14) in nine games in the Swedish under-20 league and 51 points (20-31-51) in 59 games in the under-18 leagues for Almtuna.

And the Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan posted the terms thereof:

On Monday, the Red Wings also signed restricted free agent defenseman Gustav Lindstrom to a two-year contract, worth $1.7 million ($850,000 salary cap hit).

Lindstrom, 22, played in 13 games with the Wings last season, with no goals and three assists. He has no goals and four assists in 29 games in the NHL over the last two seasons.

Per CapFriendly:

Detroit Red Wings have qualified the following players:
1. Erne
2. Hronek
3. Lindstrom
4. Pearson
5. Smith
6. Vrana
7. Bertuzzi

The following players did not receive a QO:
1. Mathias Brome
2. Christian Djoos
3. Evgeny Svechnikov
4. Hayden Verbeekhttps://t.co/uiV3ADpfgx

— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) July 27, 2021

Update: Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff explains why the Wings parted ways with Svechnikov:

The Wings did indicate that they’d be willing to discuss signing Svechnikov to a two-way deal. However, Svechnikov’s agent Todd Diamond acknowledged that they would be testing the open market. NHL teams can begin signing UFAs on July 28.

“They let us know they will not be qualifying him at this time but are open to a two-way contract,” Todd Diamond said. “We’ll see what things look like (in the market) and regroup from there.

…

“It’s been a while (for Svechnikov in the organization), he’s had a lot of injuries,” Diamond admitted. “He could have gotten a new opportunity last season. He played hurt. It didn’t happen.

“Maybe it’ll work out for the best and he’ll get a chance to compete with another team.”

Svechnikov played three games in the KHL for Ak Bars Kazan in 2013-14 but Diamond indicated that his client would prefer to play in North America. He also haven’t ruled out returning to Wings on the two-way if he doesn’t get a solid offer from another NHL organization.

Update #2: Here’s a bit more from MLive’s Ansar Khan:

MLive’s Ansar Khan has posted a post-draft article discussing Red Wings goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa’s immense self-belief:

“Obviously there’s high expectations in Detroit and I want to live up to that,” Cossa said. “I have high expectations for myself. I love the pressure; I love the stress that comes with it. Obviously, I don’t get stressed, but just the pressure of being that last guy back there and kind of being the villain or the hero.”

Cossa has a swagger about him. He likes to talk a little bit on the ice.

“I’m not afraid to throw a chirp around and I definitely stand my own ground,” Cossa said. “I don’t get bullied out there for sure.”

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman described Cossa as articulate, personable, confident, and definitely not shy.

“From everyone we talked to, from watching him over the last two years, our guys are confident that he has the mental makeup that it takes to be a real good goalie,” Yzerman said.

Khan continues, speaking with both Yzerman and Kris Draper about the Wings’ due diligence regarding their new top goaltending prospect…

From the Toledo Blade’s Mark Monroe:

The Toledo Walleye extended qualifying offers to eight players Monday.

Each ECHL team is entitled to reserve the rights to a maximum of eight qualified players.

The players on Toledo’s list are goaltender Billy Christopoulos, forwards Hunter Garlent, and Brandon Hawkins, along with defensemen Ryan Lowney, Blake Hillman, Trevor Hamilton, Randy Gazzola, and Ryker Killins.

Toledo retains the ECHL rights to those players if they don’t sign with a team at the higher American Hockey League level.

Continued

Updated at 12:14 PM: Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman spoke with 97.1 the Ticket’s Stoney and Jansen this morning, and you can listen to the interview embedded in the following link:

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman joined us this morning. We talked about:
* the 2021 draft class
* what went into two big recent trades
* if we can expect a big signing in free agency

Listen here: https://t.co/ZL5vLV46as

— Stoney & Jansen with Heather (@StoneyJansen) July 26, 2021

Yzerman, who sounds very relaxed, discusses the means by which the Red Wings scouted their potential draft picks (see: lots of video), why the Wings picked Simon Edvinsson 6th overall, Sebastian Cossa’s potential and developmental timeline, the ways in which prospect development has changed since Yzerman’s days in the league, his decision to swap out draft picks for Nick Leddy and Alex Nedeljkovic, his decision to trade up to select Cossa, and his belief that the Wings need to add some veterans to the team to help Detroit’s current young players develop at the NHL level.

I’ll post the MP3 as soon as 97.1 the Ticket’s podcast page makes it available.

Update: Here’s the MP3:

Update #2: Among 97.1 the Ticket’s Will Burchfield’s interview highlights:

Of Red Wings-related note this morning:

1. The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted an article discussing the Red Wings’ draft haul from this past weekend, and she suggests that the Red Wings deserve an “A” grade for the ways in which the team managed its 12 draft picks, ultimately drafting 8 players they wanted to add to the Wings’ stable of prospects, while also adding Alex Nedeljkovic and Nick Leddy to the mix:

By the time the Wings were on the board, centers Matty Beniers, Mason McTavish and Kent Johnson had been drafted. At that point, Edvinsson was the best prospect available that fit the Wings’ needs: A 6-foot-4 (and a half, according to director of amateur scouting Kris Draper) left-shot defenseman whose assets include skating, being good at both ends of the ice, and physicality.

The boldest moment of the first round came when Yzerman packaged the Nos. 23, 48 and 138 picks to move up to No. 15, where he selected goaltender Sebastian Cossa. Jesper Wallstedt was projected to be the first goalie taken, but Cossa’s performance (17-1-1 with a .57 GAA and .941 save percentage in 19 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings in the Western Hockey League), size (6-6, 210 pounds) and demeanor (calm, confident, determined) persuaded the Wings he was the best choice.

St. James continues, breaking down the Wings’ 8 picks, and she concludes the subscriber-only article with this:

The Edmonton Sun’s Robert Tychkowski spoke with Red Wings first-round draft pick Sebastian Cossa and Arizona Coyotes pick Dylan Guenther, who are both members of the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings, regarding their takes on being drafted highly (Guenther 9th and Cossa 15th overall, respectively) this past weekend.

Both players spoke glowingly of the assets provided to them by the Oil Kings, and Cossa suggested that he’s ready to begin forging a path toward the NHL:

It feels good knowing that a Hall-of-Fame player and elite general manager like Steve Yzerman believes that strongly in you.

“Being such a high pick, there are high expectations, but I want to exceed those expectations,” said the six-foot-six product of Fort McMurray. “Him wanting me that bad is satisfying, for sure.

“There are a lot of good prospects and in the coming years we’re going to have a strong team there. I want to be a main factor in that team’s success.”

…

Where do they go from here? Teams have been reluctant to pick goalies high in the draft because you can ever be sure and it takes them long to develop. But Carter Hart and Spencer Knight showed that the wait time doesn’t have to be as big as it was before.

“I want to be playing in the NHL in two or three years,” said Cossa. “I have extremely high expectations for myself. There is a long way to go and I have to put a lot of work in, but I can’t wait to get started.”

Continued

Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen posted a subscriber-only notebook on Sunday evening, discussing the Red Wings’ assessment of their possibly-NHL-ready prospects as they apply to management’s desire to field a more competitive roster.

With oodles of cap space and 7 restricted free agents of note to re-sign, the Wings have enough room on the roster to make some changes, playing prospects included…

But the Wings’ re-signing of Marc Staal may indicate that a few more veterans will return before the start of unrestricted free agency on Wednesday:

The Red Wings, according to CapFriendly.com, have $37.5 million in salary room left with seven restricted free agents still to sign. They could also still buy out Nielsen to open up a roster spot. He’s not in Detroit’s plans.

They are still interested in some of their unrestricted free agents, including faceoff artist Luke Glendening or right-shot forward Sam Gagner.  The free agent market has very few right-shot forwards.

The Red Wings have interest in soon-to-be unrestricted free agent Alex Martinez.  The Red Wings could look at younger left-shot D men like Ryan Murray or Mike Reilly.

Allen continues (subscription), projecting the Wings’ roster without the services of Glendening, Gagner or Bobby Ryan, who are all possible re-signings…

And it’s a relief to know that the Wings may want to cut ties with Nielsen. The years of losing took their toll on ol’ Frans, and I felt that last season, he really looked exhausted.

I’m not sure how Alec Martinez decides to come to a rebuilding team, Michigan ties included, however.

In Fox Sports Detroit’s latest episode of “The Third Half with Brooke Fletcher,” Fletcher speaks with Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill and Robby Fabbri at the Wings’ summer youth hockey event (for about three minutes):

The Red Wings have six prospects taking part in the World Junior Summer Showcase in Plymouth, Michigan this week–Eemil Viro (Finland), William Wallinder, Theodor Niederbach (Sweden), Shai Buium, Carter Mazur and Cross Hanas (Team USA)–and a seventh (Red Savage) is skating with Team USA as he rehabilitates an injury.

I spoke with Viro, Wallinder, Buium, Mazur and Hanas on Sunday during the post-game availabilities; Viro’s Finns won a 2-1 decision over Team USA White, and Mazur scored the game-winner in Team USA Blue’s 4-2 win over Sweden.

It’s hockey in July, and some of these players haven’t hit the ice since March or April, but I do have a few observations about said players: