When they selected him 176th overall in the 2024 NHL entry draft, the Detroit Red Wings knew that taking Swedish forward Charlie Forslund was a roll of the dice.

At the age of 17, Forslund was a big-time scorer for Falun in the third tier of Swedish hockey.

“You start thinking this could be something that could be potentially really good for us down the road,” Red Wings assistant GM and director of amateur scouting Kris Draper said.

Instead, it’s looking like another late-round gamble that simply isn’t going to work out in Detroit’s favor.

Charlie Forslund(6th round’24) leaving Mora IK. Got into some games at the end of the season last year. Started the year with an illness and missed the first couple months. Now moving on to find senior hockey. Mora fans seem upset that he didn’t get into the lineup#LGRW https://t.co/KUBuYYClZH

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) November 24, 2025

Forslund has been released by Mora IK of Hockey Allsvenskan, the Swedish second division.

According to Andreas Hägglund, the sporting director for Mora, the decision to drop Forslund isn’t complicated. He simply wasn’t good enough to make the grade.

It’s nothing strange,” Hägglund told Swedish website Expressen. “He wanted to play first-team hockey, and we don’t have the chance to give him that.

“We had another junior before him, and there’s a reason for that. It’s a tough, competitive situation.”

Little Work For Red Wings Pick

In 12 games for Mora’s junior club this season, Forslund was good for 3-4-7 totals and a minus-4 rating. Over two seasons, he’d only played six games in the second tier, accounting for one assist.

Hägglund admitted that Forslund has not lived up to expectations.

“You don’t really have any patience, and then you want to move on,” Hägglund said. “If it’s just about playing in the Swedish Hockey League, it will be difficult for us right now to give that opportunity.

“Then there is no reason for us to go further together.”

Charlie Forslund(6th round’24)
2 Primary Assists🍎🍎 in a 5-4 OTW
#40 in Red#LGRW pic.twitter.com/P4Y9ZlD2zw

— Red Wings Prospects (@LGRWProspects) September 28, 2025

Some rumblings within the fan base felt that it was too early to give up on someone that an NHL team felt showed so much promise.

“We’ve had other juniors up before Charlie in any case,” Hägglund said. “Is (Forslund) our biggest talent in the U20? No, not as we’re thinking right now.

“People have the right to think what they want and be annoyed. I’m focused on us winning hockey games.”

Forslund, 19, is joining Almtuna IS, also of Hockey Allsvenskan.

“We’ll see if he fits there,” Hägglund said.