Red Wings Cut Junior Standout in Pair Of Roster Moves

The Red Wings announce pair of roster moves with Justice Christensen being released, Rudy Guimond being sent back to juniors. 

On Monday, the Detroit Red Wings announced that defenseman Justice Christensen has been released from his amateur tryout, while goaltender Rudy Guimond has been returned to the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL.

Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) on XUPDATE: The #RedWings have released defenseman Justice Christensen from his amateur tryout. Additionally, the Red Wings have returned goaltender Rudy Guimond to the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL.

Christensen, who captained the Prince Albert Raiders in the WHL last season, came to camp as a free-agent invitee. He impressed in junior with a breakout year offensively, scoring 22 goals and adding 22 assists in 62 games—numbers that placed him among the top-producing defensemen in the league.

His 22 goals tied for the third-most in a single season by a Raiders defenseman. While he won’t be joining the Red Wings this fall, Christensen’s next chapter is already in place: he’s committed to the University of Nebraska-Omaha for the 2026–27 season, where he’ll continue his development in the NCAA.

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Meanwhile, Guimond’s return to Moncton comes after a standout campaign in goal. The 20-year-old netminder dominated the QMJHL last season, going undefeated in 16 regular-season appearances with a 1.73 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage. He added three shutouts and followed that up with an 8-1 playoff run.

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Guimond, a sixth-round pick by Detroit in the 2023 NHL Draft, also set a CHL record by winning 24 straight games to start his major junior career. He’ll return to the Wildcats as an overage player this season, bringing veteran experience and a steady presence between the pipes.

Both moves are part of Detroit’s early-fall roster shaping process, as the organization evaluates its depth chart and prepares for NHL and AHL camps. For Christensen, the door to professional hockey remains open, though he’ll now shift his focus back to junior and eventually college. Guimond, meanwhile, continues on a steady development path, with his return to junior offering another opportunity to build on an already impressive trajectory.

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