Red Wings, Gylander agrees on 2-year entry-level contract and he reported to AHL

The Detroit Red Wings and 2019 7th round pick, goaltender Carter Gylander, have agreed on a two-year, entry-level deal that begins in the 2024-25 season.

Gylander, 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds, was picked 191st in the 2019 NHL Draft by the Red Wings. The Beaumont, Alberta, Canada native brings s fresh face and new energy between the pipes in Detroit and has a promising, bright future in the organization.

A future starter between the pipes for the Red Wings, he is coming off of a successful career in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and looks to compete for the Grand Rapids starting job next season.

He spent time with the Sherwood Park Crusaders from 2017/18 through 2019/20 and got the attention of scouts early. His play early in his career seemed to set him aside from other goaltenders during his time with the Crusaders.

He was steady and consistent as he had a busy workload, playing 64 games in his three-year stay with Sherwood Park, posting an impressive 51-9 record with six shutouts. He impressed many with his career in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) and he would spend next season in the NCAA with Colgate University.

He arrived on the Colgate University scene and attended campus life for four years. From 2020-21-2023-24, he had a bit of a downward spiral with his record but he was playing at a higher level against players twice the size of the ones at Sherwood Park.

Aside from his record, they gave him a chance to work towards moving up in the Detroit pipeline. His stats at Colgate were as follows: 46-46-13 record, a .906 save percentage, a 2.71 goals-against-average, and five shutouts in 106 games.

Not too bad for a young goaltender facing a different level of competition. His work ethic improved the more he played as did his development in the net, working around earlier issues to fine-tune his game between the pipes.

Even though he was drafted in 2019, he did sign his entry-level contract on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. He turned heads in college with his performance, attitude, and never-give-up personality.

With the thin Red Wings goaltending pipeline, the organization noticed his abilities and growth as a goaltender. Gylander was signed to get him some AHL action late in the season and adjust him to the pro style of hockey before he begins next season in Grand Rapids.

With his signing, the contract does not take effect until the 2024/25 season so he will report to the Griffins this season on an amateur tryout (ATO) for the remainder of the season. Grand Rapids now has a crowded crease of Gylander, Sebastian Cossa, and Michael Hutchinson.

With Cossa, Gylander, and Trey Augustine in the fold for the goaltending position, the future looks bright for Detroit netminders.

While it may take time for them to develop and get to the main roster fully, all three will have growing pains but have promising careers in the Red Wings organization. Gylander is the latest of goaltending prospects that Detroit has eased along in their development process, getting them properly ready for the NHL.