Ducks claim Gustav Lindstrom on waivers from Canadiens

Lindstrom played 14 games for the Canadiens this season, scoring three goals and an assist for four points. He hasn’t played in a game for the Canadiens since Dec. 9.

The Ducks were in need of adding to their blue line after trading away defenseman Jamie Drysdale and a second-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for forward Cutter Gauthier.

In five NHL seasons, Lindstrom has five goals and 24 assists for 29 points in 142 career games. Lindstrom was a second-round pick for the Detroit Red Wings in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, playing junior hockey for Almtuna IS in Sweden’s HockeyEttan Div-1.

After a season with Frolunda in the Swedish Elite League, Lindstrom joined the Red Wings’ organization in 2019-20, playing 45 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins and recording five assists, then 16 games with the Red Wings, recording one helper.

In August 2023, Lindstrom was traded to the Habs with a fourth-round pick in 2025 for defenseman Jeff Petry. He was sent to the AHL’s Laval Rocket and played four games with the minor league club before being called up after David Savard suffered an injury.

The Ducks are 14-25-1 with 29 points through 40 games in 2023-24. For a team that had an auspicious start to the season, going 7-4-0 and winning six straight at one point, the Ducks has fallen back to Earth.

Forward Frank Vatrano leads the team in points with 29 (19 goals and 10 assists) while 20-year-old Mason McTavish is second with 27 points (12 goals and 15 assists). Goaltender John Gibson has a 7-16-0 record with a .903 SV% and a 2.97 GAA.