The Detroit Red Wings could have a unique opportunity to profit from an Eastern Conference rival’s need. Specifically, we’re talking about the New York Rangers.
The Rangers ran into some awful injury news when they lost Adam Fox to a shoulder injury. There’s no timeline for the former Norris Trophy winner’s return to the ice. At this point, Fox is week-to-week.
That situation has prompted Rangers’ GM Chris Drury to look into bringing in a stopgap replacement for Fox. Given how slow the trade market has been, the Rangers are prepared to get a little creative.
So, Drury is prepared to think outside the box. As Elliotte Friedman noted in the latest edition of his 32 Thought Podcast, the Red Wings could profit from the Rangers' situation and send a beleaguered blueliner back to Broadway.
Friedman stated: “I’ve heard the Rangers, with Adam Fox being out, they’re looking to see if there’s something they can find for a power play quarterback. I do think they are looking for somebody out there. And one of the names I’ve kind of heard thrown around is Erik Gustafsson, which would make some sense.”
There’s sense to the Rangers being interested in Gustafsson. The 33-year-old played 76 games for the Rangers in 2023-24. He totaled 31 points, parlaying that situation into a two-year deal with the Red Wings. But the emergence of Detroit’s defense prospects has made Gustafsson expendable.
That situation led the Red Wings to send Gustafsson down to Grand Rapids. But instead of languishing in the AHL, the Rangers could end up giving Gustafsson one more kick at the NHL can.
What could Red Wings realistically get for Gustafsson?
Let’s be honest for a minute. There’s a fat chance the Red Wings get a prospect like Brennan Othmann or a first-round pick for Gustafsson. However, the Red Wings could profit from the Rangers’ desperation nonetheless.
A mid-round pick or a lower-tier prospect could be a more realistic return. The Wings would be foolish to dump Gustafsson on the Rangers for a seventh-rounder or even future considerations. Most of Gustafsson’s $2 million cap hit is buried in the AHL. Plus, the Wings aren’t desperate to move out his contract.
The Rangers, meanwhile, would like to get someone sooner rather than later. That’s why Steve Yzerman can drive up the price. The Rangers can have Gustafsson now, or keep waiting for another blueliner to suddenly become available.
Steve Yzerman has a singular chance at making something out of nothing. Perhaps he can convince the Rangers to take Justin Holl and make this deal a real home run.