Friday was to be comeback night for Detroit Red Wings netminder Ville Husso. Recovering from a lower-body injury, he was going to see his first game action guarding the net for Detroit’s top farm club, the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins.

Husso, though, didn’t make it through the pre-game warmup. After taking some shots in the Griffins net, Husso left the ice prior to the conclusion of the warmup. He was seen conversing with the Griffins training staff after leaving the ice.

@DetroitRedWings goalie Ville Husso was scheduled to start for @griffinshockey & did take warm ups but then left the ice a bit early. We are told he will no longer start nor dress tonight. @SebastianCossa will now start, riding a personal franchise record 19 game point streak pic.twitter.com/EZFn4OdDmf

— Larry Figurski (@larryfigurski) April 12, 2024

When the Griffins would skate out for their game against the Rockford IceHogs, Sebastian Cossa was the starting goalie. Carter Gylander was backing him up.

“Ville Husso is now unavailable for tonight’s game,” the Griffins posted on X, the social media site formerly known as Twitter. “Sebastian Cossa will be in net.”

Following the game, Griffins coach Dan Watson was offering no update on Husso’s condition, only that he was told the netminder wouldn’t be available for the game. It was uncertain whether the Detroit goalie would be accompanying Grand Rapids to Chicago for Saturday’s game against the Wolves.

Injury-Plagued Season For Husso

Slated to be Detroit’s No. 1 goalie at the outset of the season, Husso has seen action in one NHL game since December. The Finnish puckstopper would suffer a lower-body injury in a Dec. 18 game against the Anaheim Ducks at Little Caesars Arena.

Husso sat out Detroit’s next 20 games while recovering from the ailment. Following a rehab stint at Grand Rapids in which he would post a 25-save shutout against the Belleville Senators, Husso was back in the Red Wings net for a Feb. 13 game at Edmonton against the Oilers. Just 8:48 into that game, He would suffer another lower-body injury and depart.

“I guess it’s part of it,” Husso said earlier of his injury struggles this season. “It’s one of those years that everything goes not your way. It’s been tough but it’s hockey. I’ll be stronger when I come back.”

UPDATE: The #RedWings today loaned goaltender Ville Husso to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins for conditioning. pic.twitter.com/1njr5cFeFK

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 8, 2024

He was slated to see his first game action since that injury on Friday.

The Giffins lost 2-0 to the IceHogs, thus ending their 19-game home-ice point streak. As well, Cossa’s franchise-record 19-game point streak also was coming to a halt.

Sharing the Red Wings net with Alex Lyon and James Reimer, Husso is 9-5-2 in 19 games, with an .892 save percentage and 3.55 GAA.

The post Red Wings Husso Doesn’t Survive Warmup in Grand Rapids appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

With the Grand Rapids Griffins firmly in the AHL playoffs, the Detroit Red Wings and their affiliate have made some moves with the future in mind.

The Griffins signed North Dakota forward Hunter Johannes to an amateur tryout contract for 2024 and standard American Hockey League player contract beginning next season on Wednesday. He joins forward Emmitt Finnie (No. 201, 2023) and goalie Carter Gylander (No. 191, 2019), who signed similar contracts with the Red Wings last month.

Grand Rapids coach Dan Watson says adding the trio now should give them a head start on next season.

“We want to make sure (they) come in and and sees what the American League is all about,” he said. “You can get these kids a head start into what’s expected, so they’re prepared for pro hockey. I think it’s a great step in the right direction for their development.”

Additions To Contribute Immediately

Finnie has already played in two games for the Griffins after a standout season at Kamloops of the WHL. He’s the second of the Red Wings’ 2023 draft picks to sign with Detroit. It’s not a given that an NHL team would sign a seventh-round pick, but the Red Wings liked the growth in Finnie’s game this season enough to give him a contract.

Gylander, 22, joins fellow 2019 draftees Antti Tuomisto, Albert Johansson and Elmer Soderblom on the Griffins roster. The 6-4, 165-pound goalie recently finished his college career at Colgate. He backstopped the Raiders to their first ECAC championship in more than 30 years in 2022-23. He was 14-14-4 with a 2.93 GAA and a .901 save percentage this season.

“Carter Gylander helped make Colgate a solid NCAA team,” said NHL draft analyst and NHLdraftbuzz.com owner Russ Cohen. “He stays on his knees a lot since he’s 6’5″. He has a very effective blocker and his leg saves are quick and he’s good at directing the puck to the corners to keep the play going. His glove is ok, it could be better. He has quick covers and he is rarely out of position. Gylander hugs the post well. Sometimes gives up the low goal when he has to move from post to post. I think he may be a future NHL backup.”

Johannes, 25, played in 31 games for North Dakota.This despite a lower-body injury that sidelined him for much of the second half of the season. The 6-3, 210-pound forward scored 12 goals with seven assists for North Dakota.

Watson said Johannes will add a size element to the Griffins.

“Our expectations are he’s going to come in, get some minutes, get some games and see how he does,” Watson said. “So we’re excited about it. We’re excited to have fresh faces in that locker room in the lineup. It does create some energy.”

For now, Johannes’ contract is owned by the Griffins. But the Red Wings will obviously be able to watch him, especially next season.

The post Griffins Bring in Prospects to Get A Taste of the AHL appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Even when Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde hands out good grades, he usually offers a more comprehensive critique in the margins.

That’s just how he delivers his messages.

The bottom line was he thought Simon Edvinsson was “really good.

“For him to come in like that, play in the top four, he did a really good job,” Lalonde added.

Edvinsson, replacing the injured Jake Walman, played 18:36. He was minus-1. Edvinsson had two blocked shot, plus a hit.

Lalonde had another comment about Edvinsson:  “You can see that poise which makes him so special can get him in trouble, too.  And he did that a couple of times. Coming back into our zone, ended up turning it over. Even in the third, I’m like, ‘(Johnny) Gaudreau’s gonna pick your pocket.’ Everyone saw it and felt the same way. And he almost did. If it wasn’t for him being 6-foot-7, or whatever he is. He probably would have.”

Reimer Encore?

Lalonde didn’t commit to a goalie for Thursday’s important game against the New York Islanders. But James Reimer probably deserves the start. He was far from perfect, but he made 32 saves, including some big ones, in Detroit’s 4-3 OT win. He has won his last two starts, stopping 57 of 61 shots (.934).

“Battling,” Lalonde said. “For sure. He had big save after big save. Again, I just wish that . . . I think he wants that third goal back.”

Reimer gave the Red Wings the chance to come back.

“We’re pushing, we’re pushing, we’ve got Grade A’s, we hit the post, it’s on the goal line a couple of times.” Lalonde said. “And then they have a breakaway. That was a huge save. Even the guys referenced that when we went back in the room, that save.”

Prospect Signing

The Red Wings signed Colgate 6-foot-5 goaltender Carter Gylander to a two-year, two-way entry level contract for $855,000 per season. That includes an $80,000 per season signing bonus. His minor league salary will be $70,000. That contract starts next season. But the Grand Rapids Griffins also signed Gylander to an amateur tryout offer to allow him to play the rest of this season.

A 2019 seventh round pick, Gylander posted a goals-against average below 3.00 and save percentage above .900 in all four seasons at Colgate. His college career GAA is 2.69 and his career save percentage is .907. In 2023, he led Colgate to its first conference title in 33 years.

The Gylander signing adds to Detroit’s goaltending depth. Sebastian Cossa is the top prospect in Grand Rapids. Veteran Michael Hutchinson, the other Griffins’ goalie, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Toledo Walleye goalie John Lethemon, also on a Detroit contract, will also be an unrestricted free agent. Jan Bednar, the other Walleye goalie, is on a Griffins’ contract.  Trey Augustine, another top prospect, is finishing up his freshman season at Michigan State.

The post Notebook: Edvinsson ‘Really Good’ in Return to Red Wings appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Red Wings of Tomorrow is assessing every prospect in the Detroit Red Wings system and what they are projecting to be in the future. We’ll be looking at the strengths and weaknesses of their game, as well as what the future holds for them as they advance through the Detroit organization. Today, we feature goalie Carter Gylander

Carter Gylander

Position: Goalie

How Acquired: Selected 191st overall in the 2019 NHL Draft

2021-22 Stats: (W-L-GAA-SV%) 7-8-2.77-.908 (with Colgate)

Contract Status: None

Anticipated 2022-23 Team: Colgate University

Prospect Synopsis

Carter Gylander is another in the of Steve Yzerman goalie selections–towering in the net. Standing at 6’5, Gylander finished his sophomore season at Colgate. He appeared in 15 games but now as a junior he’ll likely see more time in the net as an upperclassman.

Gylander had some impressive performances–making 47 saves against Western Michigan in a loss, and 38 against Vermont in a 5-3 victory.

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff wrote about Gylander last year and though on a team that isn’t in the spotlight as say a Boston University, or a University of Michigan, he’s held his own, including his freshman year.

He posted a season-high of 37 saves in the upset of No. 10/11 Quinnipiac.

Join us in congratulating Carter Gylander on his third @ecachockey weekly honor of the year! #PlayFast pic.twitter.com/0v5nanLTM9

— Colgate Men's Hockey (@ColgateMIH) March 8, 2021

Estimated Time of Arrival in Detroit

Gylander is in a line of goaltender prospects that Yzerman has selected to bolster the pipeline. He was at development camp last week and though he might not have the attention that a Sebastian Cossa has, he’s certainly a prospect to keep an eye on.

#CANWest goaltender Carter Gylander with a toe save on the breakaway. Good for his confidence after two early goals. #WJAC pic.twitter.com/QTqEntqHIS

— Steven Ellis (@StevenEllisTHN) December 9, 2019

Gylander’s junior season could be one that raises his profile some more. Gylander’s biggest issue is that his program isn’t as prominent. This certainly isn’t a negative- it’s just a reality. In the aforementioned game where he made 47 saves–it was on 53 shots. Detroit Hockey Now had Gylander ranked fifth in the system in the goaltender snapshot back in June.

The talent is certainly there, and development for goalies is always a bit more of a waiting game. Hammering down an estimated time of arrival is a bit trickier. Gylander’s rights don’t expire until August 15, 2024, which gives him his senior season as well to really showcase where his standing is in the system.

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Regardless, he’s fits the bill already as another guy who stands tall in the net both literally, and figuratively. A strong junior season could catch the attention of the front office, and hasten a trip to Detroit if it’s truly in the cards.

The post Red Wings of Tomorrow: Carter Gylander appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

There were a numbe of attractions that drew Detroit Red Wings prospect Carter Gylander to accept a scholarship to play NCAA hockey for the Colgate Red Raiders. One was the presence of a golf course on campus.

Nestled at the upper end of the Chenango Valley on the Colgate campus in Holland, N.Y., is Seven Oaks Golf Club. The Robert Trent Jones-designed 6,834-yard par-72 layout first opened in 1956.

“I’ve been golfing since elementary school,” Gylander, 20, said. The 6-foot-5, 185-pound netminder was the 191st overall choice of the Red Wings during the 2019 NHL entry draft.

“I’ve got a big frame for a lot of leverage for hitting the ball.”

GOALIE OF THE WEEK

Carter Gylander was lights out in his two starts for @ColgateMIH this weekend, going 1-0-1 with a .952 save percentage and 1.45 GAA.

Powered by @MACGoaltending pic.twitter.com/c9enVZq8vp

— ECAC Hockey (@ecachockey) January 11, 2021

He plays to a 10 handicap. Gylander, who is entering his sophomore season at Colgate, believes that golf is the perfect second sport for a netminder. He sees the challenges of playing the offering so many of the same obstacles to overcome that he faces when he’s tending to the net.

Short Memory Required

“I think you have to have a lot of mental toughness for lots of sports, and especially with the position of goalie,” Gylander explained. “One bad goal, or a slow start to a game, you’ve got to be able to shake that off and just worry about the next save, the next shot. So being able to have a short memory is pretty important.

“That ties in with golf as well. If you’re having a couple of stretches of holes where you bogeyed or triple-bogeyed, then you’ve got to kind of recuperate and get back at it.”

Gylander is also of the opinion that there are comparisons in the relationship involving a goaltending tandem that are similar to the golfer-caddie dynamic on the links.

“It’s nice to have a goalie partner as well,” Gylander said. “It’s kind of like a caddie. He’s on the bench and he’s giving you words of encouragement.

“If you get a little bit heated, or whatever the case might be, having those conversations in TV timeouts to keep your head straight really helps to settle you down.” 

Gylander posted 6-9-4 record in 19 games as a freshman at Colgate. He recorded a .901 save percentage and 2.69 goals-against average. The Red Raiders netminder was named ECAC Goaltender of the Week on January 11, 2021. He posted a 1-0-1 record with a .952 save percentage and 1.45 GAA in action that week.

The post Red Wings Prospect Gylander Compares Golfing To Goaltending appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Great hockey teams are built from the goal out. Just look at the two teams currently in the Stanley Cup final. The Montreal Canadiens have Carey Price and the Tampa Bay Lightning have Andrei Vasilevskiy. When it comes to today’s top NHL goaltenders, they are 1 and 1A and we’ll let you decide in which order to rank that entry.

Vasilevskiy used to be Steve Yzerman’s goalie. In fact, Stevie Y drafted him in Tampa Bay. In the Detroit goalie room, there’s also a draft – a harsh, unforgiving wind that rips through the place and serves as a reminder of how barren the Red Wings’ goaltending pipeline is of NHL prospects, not to mention of NHL goalies.

Currently, Detroit has two netminders under contract with NHL playing experience. There’s Thomas Greiss, with 316 appearances under his belt and there’s Kaden Fulcher, with 27 minutes of NHL playing time on his resume.

If you think that depth chart is bleak, then don’t look beyond them. It could be the cause of sleepless nights. It certainly must be for Red Wings GM Yzerman.

The post Red Wings’ Lack Of Goaltending Depth Is Alarming | DHN+ appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.