'Bump my play up': Gustav Lindstrom working towards consistency

DETROIT -- For Gustav Lindstrom, one of the biggest factors in his development has been experience.

Lindstrom, who was the Detroit Red Wings' 38th overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, logged his first North American campaign in 2019-20, recording five assists in 45 games with the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins.
After making his Red Wings debut on Feb. 26, 2020, Lindstrom appeared in 29 NHL games combined before settling into a bigger role with Detroit last season, playing 63 games while tallying one goal and 12 assists.
And as Lindstrom approaches his second full NHL campaign, he's focused on being more consistent.
"I'm getting more comfortable every year, which is great," Lindstrom said last Friday. "Now, I want to keep my play at a high level all the time."
When reflecting on his development, Lindstrom acknowledged he experienced growing pains jumping from the AHL to NHL.
"Everyone wants to play in the NHL," Lindstrom said. "For me, I had a great time in Grand Rapids. I played a lot there, but it's hard to say when you're ready. It takes a bit getting used to playing against the best players in the world because it's a faster game and you're still learning."

Lindstrom, 23, also has a better understanding of his primary strengths and weaknesses.
"I don't want to get those ups and downs," the 23-year-old said. "I know when I'm playing good, it can be good. When I'm playing bad, it can sometimes take a couple of games to get out of that."
Lindstrom pointed to his first NHL goal, which he tallied on Feb. 14 against the Minnesota Wild, as a personal milestone he wants to build on.
"I didn't score any NHL goals the last couple of years, so it was a nice feeling to get at least one," Lindstrom said. "Hopefully, I can score more than at least the one goal this year."
Motivated to improve his overall game, Lindstrom said he spent this past summer training in his native Sweden.
"I worked on a lot this summer," Lindstrom said. "Working on things like taking the puck from the boards and making quick shots. Hopefully, I can get more shots through this year and shoot more. I want to continue to shoot, which will lead to good things."
Lindstrom brought that mindset with him to Traverse City for training camp last month, an experience he described as a "good start."
"I felt pretty good," Lindstrom said. "I'm getting more comfortable every year. In the previous training camps, I've been more nervous and haven't felt that comfortable. But this year, I was more comfortable and had more fun. It was great for me."
The Red Wings bolstered their defensive core this past offseason
, signing free-agent blueliners Ben Chiarot, Olli Maatta, Robert Hagg and Mark Pysyk.
Lindstrom said he's excited to be part of the mix.
"There's a lot of new faces both in the coaching staff and players," Lindstrom said. "It was helpful in Traverse City to have fun and practice hard together. I feel like I've known them for more than a few weeks. We've come a long way."