Red Wings sign Carter Gylander to one-year contract

Gylander has been a part of the Red Wings’ organization since he was selected in the seventh round, 191st overall, of the 2019 NHL Draft. However, he has yet to reach the NHL. He came to the end of his two-year, entry-level contract this past spring, which carried an NHL AAV of $855,000 and a minor-league cap hit of $70,000.

The 25-year-old has been a solid netminder in the team’s lower ranks, having played a handful of games with Detroit’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins. While the Griffins have had the likes of Sebastian Cossa, Jack Campbell and Michal Postava in the fold over the past couple of years, Gylander has played well with GR. This past season, he went 7-0-2 in eight appearances with the Griffins, posting a 1.62 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage, while notching his first AHL shutout on Dec. 21 against the Cleveland Monsters.

Gylander has spent most of his two pro seasons with the Toledo Walleye, the Red Wings’ ECHL affiliate. On top of a solid rookie campaign, where he helped the Walleye reach the Kelly Cup Final, the Beaumont, Alb. native went 20-9-5 this past season, delivering a 2.78 GAA, a .901 SV% and one shutout. In 10 playoff games, he went 6-4, with a 2.80 GAA and a .899 SV%.

In 11 games in the AHL, Gylander is 9-1-2, with a 2.15 GAA and a .926 SV%. With the Walleye, he is 40-18-10, with a 2.70 GAA, a .904 SV% and four shutouts in the regular season.

It’s not yet known where Gylander will start next fall. While he has played well with the Walleye and has been respectable with Grand Rapids, the Red Wings have a number of netminders in the pipeline. Despite Cossa being traded to the Utah Mammoth, Postava was very impressive late last season and was Grand Rapids’ starter in the Calder Cup Playoffs. On top of that, Mike Richter Award winner Trey Augustine is set to begin his first full pro season, with some believing he should be with the Griffins next fall.