Red Wings Sign Wallinder to Two-Year Extension

The Detroit Red Wings announced the signing of defenseman William Wallinder to a two-year contract extension on Thursday.

UPDATE: The #RedWings have signed defenseman William Wallinder to a two-year, two-way contract. pic.twitter.com/rm2K7Bn4TX

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) June 25, 2026

Wallinder was a pending restricted free agent.

Apparently the team is back to not announcing financial terms, as only the fact that it is a two-way deal for two years was announced. PuckPedia reports that the first year is worth $850,000 at the NHL level and $110,000 in the minors, with $150,000 guaranteed. The second year is worth $900,000 in the NHL and jumps to $700,000 in the minors.

Wallinder is out of options next year, meaning he’ll have to make the Red Wings’ roster or be exposed on waivers. The structure of this deal kind of looks like the team thinks he needs one more year in Grand Rapids and then getting paid either way for the second year.

Most Europeans don’t stick around if they haven’t gotten a sniff of the NHL after three full seasons, so this deal is somewhat interesting. Especially given that the team really doesn’t have room for Wallinder in Detroit. Assuming Simon Edvinsson re-signs as a restricted free agent, the Wings have seven defensemen who all played significant minutes in Detroit last season returning next year.

Maybe it makes sense for Axel Sandin-Pellikka to get more minutes in Grand Rapids, leaving the seventh spot open for Wallinder to earn but ASP made the team out of camp last year and that can’t be ruled out again.

I haven’t been able to shake the feeling that Wallinder is yet another one of those wasted second round picks the Red Wings have been bitten by over the years.