Erik Gustafsson

Erik Gustafsson

33-Year-Old DefensemanD
Detroit Red Wings
Out
Injury Undisclosed
Est. Return 4/8/2025
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Gustafsson's one year with the Rangers was just fine. He produced six goals, 25 assists, nine power-play points, 63 hits and 66 blocked shots over 76 regular-season appearances before going ice-cold in the playoffs. He turned his strong regular season into a two-year deal with the Red Wings, where he'll compete with Moritz Seider for a spot on the top power-play unit. Gustafsson's even-strength usage will likely be limited to bottom-four minutes. Another 30-35 points with underwhelming physical production seems like a safe estimate as to what the Swede will bring, though a strong power-play performance could make him a fantasy asset in 2024-25. You can probably take a wait-and-see approach with this blueliner. Read Past Outlooks
$Signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Red Wings in July of 2024.
Facing extended absence
DDetroit Red Wings
Undisclosed
March 21, 2025
Gustafsson (undisclosed) is expected to miss an extended period of time, the Red Wings announced Friday, though an official timeline hasn't been determined.
ANALYSIS
Gustafsson's prognosis, limited though it may be, would explain why the team brought up Brogan Rafferty from the minors to provide some extra depth. In Gustafsson's absence, William Lagesson figures to slot into the third pairing, though he'll find himself relegated to the press box again once Jeff Petry (undisclosed) is cleared to play.
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2024–25 Time On Ice Stats
  • Average Time On Ice:
    16:19
  • Average Power Play TOI:
    1:37
  • Average Short-Handed TOI:
    0:01
 
Ice Time
Power Play
Short-Handed
2022–23
15:45
1:47
0:03
2022–23
20:22
2:19
0:11
2023–24
17:24
1:18
0:12
2024–25
16:19
1:37
0:01
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Red Wings Power Play Depth Chart
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Erik Gustafsson See More
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
Playing for Peter Laviolette in Washington last season, Gustafsson exceeded even the most optimistic expectations, appearing in 61 games for the club and racking up seven goals and 38 points, including 11 with the man advantage before a deadline deal sent him to the Maple Leafs. He added four assists (three on the power play) in nine games as a part-timer in Toronto. Laviolette was fired by the Caps and hired by the Rangers and Gustafsson rejoined him on Broadway, signing a ridiculously team-friendly one-year, $825K contract. Adam Fox is locked in as the quarterback on New York's No. 1 power-play unit, but Gustafsson should run the second group, which could include quality players such as Blake Wheeler, Alexis Lafreniere, and Kaapo Kakko. Gustafsson could easily produce late-round fantasy value once again in 2023-24.
Gustafsson has bounced around since his 2018-19 breakout campaign with Chicago which saw him post 17 goals and 60 points in 79 games. He's played for three different clubs since in addition to a second stint with the Blackhawks a year ago. Gustafsson signed a one-year, $800K deal with Washington in July. It's an odd fit given the fact the Capitals employ one of the league's best power-play quarterbacks in John Carlson. Gustafsson's play in his own zone is notoriously unreliable, meaning he may have a difficult time cracking the Washington lineup on a nightly basis in 2022-23.
Gustafsson began last season in Philadelphia before being shipped to Montreal in April. His offensive production (12 points in 29 games) was fine as usual, but his sub-par defensive play banished him to the press box for long stretches at a time. Gustafsson has value as a power-play specialist who is severely sheltered at even strength, but NHL clubs would rather hand that opportunity to a younger player as opposed to a 29-year-old veteran. Gustafsson remains unsigned late into free agency for a reason. Look elsewhere for your late-round fantasy production.
Gustafsson started the 2019-20 campaign with the Blackhawks, totaling six goals and 26 points in 59 games before being dealt to the Flames at the trade deadline, where he added three helpers in seven regular-season contests and four apples in 10 postseason tilts. The 28-year-old Swede joined the Flyers on a one-year deal this offseason, and he's expected to settle into a top-four role and a spot on the second power-play unit with his new club in 2020-21. Gustafsson should be able to produce at around a 35-point pace with Philadelphia during the upcoming campaign, a third of which should come with the man advantage, but that won't make him anything more than a fringe bench option in most fantasy formats.
Gustafsson exploded last season, setting career highs in goals (17), assists (43), shots on goal (160) and power-play points (18) while averaging 22:35 of ice time in 79 appearances. The 27-year-old Swede was unable to gain the trust of former coach Joel Quenneville during his first three seasons in Chicago, appearing in just 76 NHL contests over that span, but rookie head coach Jeremy Colliton was far more willing to forgive Gustafsson's defensive lapses last year in order to utilize his strengths (quarterbacking the power play and joining the attack on the rush. That leap of faith paid dividends, and allowed Gustafsson to emerge as one of the NHL's top offensive-minded blueliners. The 2012 fourth-round pick finished sixth among all defensemen in scoring last campaign, and there's no reason to believe he won't be able to put up similar numbers in 2019-20. The fact that Gustafsson's set to become an unrestricted free agent ahead of the 2020-21 season is a bit of a concern from a fantasy standpoint, as the Blackhawks may be tempted to move him at the trade deadline if they're not in a playoff position, but fantasy owners shouldn't let that hypothetical deter them from snagging the left-handed rearguard as a high-end No.2 option during this year's drafts.
Gustafsson only appeared in 35 games with the Blackhawks last season, but he was pretty productive over that span, picking up five goals and 16 points while averaging 18:33 of ice time per contest. The 2012 fourth-round pick appears poised to slot into a middle-pairing role this campaign, and if he's given opportunities to contribute on the power play, he could realistically eclipse the 40-point mark, making him a fine depth addition to most fantasy rosters.
More Fantasy News
Missing from practice
DDetroit Red Wings
Undisclosed
March 20, 2025
Gustafsson wasn't on the ice for Thursday's practice session after suffering an undisclosed injury versus Washington on Tuesday, Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press reports.
ANALYSIS
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Grabs helper in Sunday's win
DDetroit Red Wings
March 17, 2025
Gustafsson logged an assist and two shots on goal in Sunday's 3-0 win over the Golden Knights.
ANALYSIS
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Picks up assist
DDetroit Red Wings
February 25, 2025
Gustafsson logged an assist and three shots on goal in Tuesday's 3-2 win over the Wild.
ANALYSIS
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Ends slump with helper
DDetroit Red Wings
February 24, 2025
Gustafsson notched a power-play assist and two shots on goal in Sunday's 5-4 overtime win over the Ducks.
ANALYSIS
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Goes cold on offense
DDetroit Red Wings
February 8, 2025
Gustafsson went an 11th straight game without a point in Saturday's 6-3 loss to the Lightning.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Season may be over
DDetroit Red Wings
March 21, 2025
Gustafsson, who is out with an undisclosed injury, could be in danger of missing the rest of the regular season, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports Friday.
ANALYSIS
Gustafsson is expected to be out long-term but the Wings haven't provided a more concrete timeline other than to say the rest of his 2024-25 campaign could be at risk. In the short term, William Lagesson will pick up the slack due to Gustafsson's absence, but Jeff Petry is nearing a return from an undisclosed injury of his own and figures to be the long-term replacement on the blue line.
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