Heading into a pivotal summer for the Detroit Red Wings full of important decisions, it seems one has already been made. On Monday, Expressen reported that Red Wings blueliner, Gustav Lindstrom, is actively looking for a place to play in Europe.
The 24-year-old right-handed defenseman was drafted by Detroit 38th overall in the 2017 NHL Entry draft.
Lindstrom struggled in his second full campaign, only appearing in 36 games, which led to his average ice-time to be cut from 16:07 in 2021-22 to 14:10 last season. Lindstrom made his NHL debut during the 2019-20 season and has played in 128 NHL games, scoring two goals and 23 assists.
While Lindstrom is still a pending restricted free agent, he hasn’t warranted a new deal as he isn’t a consistent NHL defenseman. This may have led to Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings coaching staff telling Lindstrom where he ranks on Detroit’s depth chart.
With Detroit’s strong defensive pipeline and Simon Edvinsson and potentially Albert Johansson earning an NHL spot out of training camp and potentially adding a defender through free agency or trade, there’s a reality there isn’t a spot for Lindstrom.
Lindstrom spent two full seasons with Altuma IS of HockeyAllsvenskan and 20 games during the 2020-21 season, and maybe he would return given the familiarity with the organization.
