The Detroit Red Wings shared this evening that goaltender Carter Gylander has agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract. The 25-year-old had been a restricted free agent.
Drafted in the seventh round by the Wings in 2019, Gylander went on to Colgate University and proved he was capable of stepping up to the next level after four years of solid results. Playing in 106 collegiate games from 2020-24, the Alberta native broke program records such as most saves in a season, 1,044 in his junior campaign, good for fifth highest in the college circuit for 2022-23.
During that season, Gylander started 39 of the Raiders’ 40 games, playing well over 2,000 minutes which was second-most in team history. He helped lead Colgate to an ECAC title, their second ever, making the NCAA tournament before the underdogs were sent home by Michigan in a resounding defeat where now Devil Luke Hughes recorded five points.
Signing his first professional contract in March 2024, the netminder joined the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins on a tryout agreement, getting valuable practice experience but not getting into any games. Breaking through the next season, the 6’5″ goalie appeared three times for the Griffins, winning two, otherwise manning the crease for the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, blocked by once top prospect Sebastian Cossa as well as other accomplished pros such as Ville Husso and Jack Campbell.
Having to work his way up the depth chart, Gylander made eight appearances for the 51-win Griffins last year, making a statement with seven wins and an eye-popping .942 save percentage. When not in Grand Rapids, he again played in 34 games for the Walleye, the same amount in back-to-back years, this time getting the majority of starts and coming away with two shutouts.
Despite shuffling in the organization from the goaltending position this summer, where Cossa was traded to Utah, Gylander will have to continue to fight for work in Grand Rapids with the presence of top prospect Trey Augustine and Czech free agent Michal Postava, 24, who debuted in North America with 25 games for the Griffins and an excellent .937 save percentage.
Gylander has already come a long way for a seventh-round pick, and even if he spends more time in the ECHL in 2026-27, he offers solid organizational depth looking to break the 10 game mark in the AHL next season. With his signing off the to-do-list, the Wings still have a notable RFA to deal with, Simon Edvinsson.