The Detroit Red Wings are expected to be active ahead of the NHL trade deadline next Friday, March 6, as the club evaluates both potential additions and expendable assets in an effort to reshape parts of its roster.
Detroit is exploring ways to strengthen key areas of its lineup while also shopping some of their own players on expiring contracts with the most notable name being pending unrestricted free agent Erik Gustafsson.
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The 33-year-old blueliner, who once recorded a 60-point season earlier in his NHL career, has not be given a consistent role yet this year. Gustafsson has appeared in just two games with Detroit this season and has spent significant time in the press box.
While at the AHL level, he’s also played just 22 games this season as the team has been moving pieces around as they have too many veterans and need to remove some from the lineup each game to fall under the AHL’s cap for veteran players and has led to less games for Gustafsson. As a result, the NHL veteran has seen very limited action and has not played in a game since late January.
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The lack of playing time raises questions about whether Gustafsson’s trade value has been affected. Earlier in the season, league sources indicated there was interest in the veteran defenseman, with the New York Rangers frequently mentioned as a potential landing spot.
Gustafsson enjoyed one of his more productive recent stretches in New York, tallying 31 points during the 2023-24 campaign and playing some of his strongest hockey in the Big Apple. However, trade chatter has cooled in recent weeks, and it remains unclear how aggressive teams will be in pursuing a defenseman who has seen limited game action.
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With Gustafsson set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, GM Steve Yzerman would love to recoup any possible assets rather than risk losing him for nothing.
There is also the possibility the Red Wings could insert Gustafsson into the lineup before the deadline to showcase that he remains game ready and capable of contributing to a contender’s blue line. A short audition could help reassure interested teams that the veteran still has something to offer.
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