WILLIAM WALLINDER

The Detroit Red Wings have signed defenseman William Wallinder, their second pick in the 2020 draft (32nd overall) to a three-year entry-level contact that starts next season. Wallinder, 20, will join the Grand Rapids Griffins for the remainder of the 2022-23 season on an amateur tryout contract. The 6-4, 190 pound, left-shooting Wallinder spent this season with Rogle BK in the Swedish Hockey League. Wallinder was a big fan of former hard-hitting Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall, the team’s assistant director of player development with whom he has worked. Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said of Wallinder after the team drafted him, “He gets the puck and moves it to the forwards.

The Detroit Red Wings had nine prospects at the World Junior Championship, more than any other team. That was among the questions from MLive readers in the latest Red Wings mailbag:Q: Disappointed that Cossa didn’t play more than one game for Canada at the World Juniors. The Red Wings’ top four is pretty much set with the likely pairs of Ben Chiarot-Moritz Seider and Olli Maatta-Filip Hronek. The Red Wings will sign him on their terms. More: Red Wings set dates for Prospects Tournament, training camp

Seven prospects from the Detroit Red Wings, representing all four nations, advanced to Friday’s semifinals of the World Junior Championship at Rogers Place in Edmonton. Jan Bednar, a fringe goalie prospect for the Red Wings, has struggled for Czechia, posting a 4.00 goals-against average and .851 save percentage in three games. The Red Wings selected Bednar in the fourth round in 2020 (107th overall). Sweden vs. Finland, 8 p.m. (NHL Network)Three Red Wings prospects are playing for Sweden, seeking its first gold medal since 2012. Wallinder, the Red Wings’ second pick (32nd overall in 2020) has two assists and a plus-1 rating in five games, averaging 15:52 of ice time.

A trio of Detroit Red Wings prospects will impact Sweden’s fortunes at next week’s World Junior Championship in Edmonton. The tournament will serve as a warmup for Simon Edvinsson prior to training camp, where the sixth overall pick in 2021 will compete for a spot on the Red Wings’ blue line. “I got my game going, my defensive game started to work out,” Wallinder said at Red Wings development camp last month. It’s where Seider excelled in 2020-21 and where Marco Kasper, the Red Wings’ top 2022 pick, also plays. “You’re playing against full-grown men, so it’s tough every game,” Niederbach said.

DETROIT – One of new Detroit Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde’s objectives is making this team harder to play against. Sounds like having top 2022 draft pick Marco Kapser in the lineup in a year or two will help in that regard. “He works hard, likes to go straight to the net and be a little dirty in front of the net,” Red Wings prospect William Wallinder, Kasper’s teammate at Rogle BK, said. We’ll have three guys there next year (Kasper, Wallinder, Theodor Niederbach).”Kasper plays on the inside, a gritty style with a penchant for driving to the net. “The structure is really good,” Kasper said.

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on rosters for some World Junior Championship teams. Three Detroit Red Wings prospects are out of the tournament due to the coronavirus. Grewe, a third-round pick by the Red Wings in 2019, is playing for Djurgardens. The Red Wings have five other prospects in Sweden’s World Junior evaluation camp: forwards Lucas Raymond (2020 fourth overall pick), Theodor Niederbach (51st pick this year) and Elmer Soderblom (159th in 2019) and defensemen Albert Johansson (60th in 2019) and Gustav Berglund (177th in 2019). More: Red Wings prospects pack Sweden’s World Junior preliminary roster

A large chunk of the Detroit Red Wings’ future could be on display when Sweden takes the ice at the World Junior Championship later this month. Sweden’s World Junior camp roster includes seven Red Wings prospects. He had two goals and two assists in seven games last year on Sweden’s bronze medal-winning team. Raymond, a right wing, is playing for Frolunda in Sweden’s highest men’s league, where he has five goals and seven assists in 21 games. More:Red Wings’ top 2019 pick Moritz Seider to skip World JuniorsWhen is NHL planning to start season and what will divisions look like?

Steve Yzerman values size and mobility on defense, using a high selection in each of his first two drafts as Detroit Red Wings general manager on a big defender who can skate. “He’s going to get tested night in and night out,” Kris Draper, Red Wings director of amateur scouting, said. He would have had an opportunity to earn a spot on the Red Wings roster had 2020-21 not been disrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic. He is on loan to Rogle BK and might join the Red Wings after that Swedish club’s season is complete. He’s got a huge point blast, makes rocket stretch passes, and has the vision to be a big offensive contributor.”More: Red Wings touched on ‘a lot of needs’ in draft

The Detroit Red Wings hope to look back on their 2020 draft and say quantity translated into quality. Their success will be determined over time, but after selecting winger Lucas Raymond fourth overall on Tuesday, a player they believe has elite potential, the Red Wings feel they addressed several needs by adding five forwards, five defensemen and a goaltender. I can’t tell you how many, but hopefully a few of them become NHL players one day.”Kris Draper, in his first draft as amateur scouting director, said, “We feel we touched on a lot of needs. The Red Wings drafted Draper’s son, Kienan, with the first pick in the seventh round. Their final pick was left wing Chase Bradley from Sioux City (USHL).

(Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Here are the 2020 NHL Entry Draft picks by the Detroit Red Wings:Detroit GM Steve Yzerman was able to add picks through in-draft trades -- he also traded for a future pick:Read more: Red Wings' Kris Draper drafts his son, Kienan Draper, in 7th roundView: 2020 NHL Entry Draft first round selectionsRead back: Here’s who Red Wings selected in 2019 NHL DraftSign up for my Red Wings newsletterSign up here for the latest news on the team and from around the league, and some jokes (good ones).

The 2020 NHL Draft got started Tuesday night with the first round. The Detroit Red Wings selected Swedish forward Lucas Raymond at 4th overall, then Swedish defenseman William Wallinder at 32nd overall. Here’s another look at Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman’s list of picks in this draft -- he started with 10 picks but added another in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings, and then another in a trade with the Minnesota Wild. He did trade away the 125th pick for a future pick:Read more: Red Wings' Kris Draper drafts his son, Kienan Draper, in 7th roundFull first-round draft order:Sign up here for the latest news on the team and from around the league, and some jokes (good ones). Follow live draft updates here:

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. Red Line Report said of Wallinder: “He’s both imposing and highly mobile. He had a very good season in SuperElit but he has the tools to be much better. He is expected to spend the 2020-2021 season at the men’s level in Allsvenskan where he played part of the season already.”This was the first of three second-round selections for the Red Wings, who will also pick at No.

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.”Wallinder became GM Steve Yzerman’s second pick out of Sweden in this draft. Watch William Wallinder highlights:Related: Red Wings select F Lucas Raymond at 4th overall in 2020 NHL DraftView: 2020 NHL Entry Draft first round selectionsSign up here for the latest news on the team and from around the league, and some jokes (good ones).