Despite putting together two separate seven-game winning streaks in 2024-25, the Detroit Red Wings are closing in on yet another postseason-less campaign. And things are going to get even tougher without the services of defenseman Erik Gustafsson.
“Erik Gustafsson is out long term, [head coach Todd] McLellan said,” The Athletic’s Max Bultman reported on Friday. “No specific time table but could be the rest of the season.”
Gustafsson has been a regular on Detroit’s blue line this year, even seeing his ice time increase to over 19 minutes per night over the last couple of weeks. The Swede had managed two goals and 18 points over 60 games before the ailment, along with a minus-19 rating — the worst on the team.
The 33-year-old was injured in Tuesday night’s 4-1 loss to Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. He went hard into the end boards in the third period of the defeat and landed awkwardly.
A lot of #LGRW fans seemed to miss Gustafsson’s injury. Here it is, does NOT look good.
No call on the play, or even acknowledgement from the broadcast. pic.twitter.com/X5w5ScVF4h
— sammy #LGRW (@wingedwheelsam) March 21, 2025
In his absence, Simon Edvinsson is the most likely candidate to quarterback the second powerplay unit, Bultman reported.
Although McLellan is holding out hope that Gustafsson may be able to return for the last few games of the regular-season, if things continue to go the way they currently are in Motown, there will be no reason to rush him back.
Over 515 NHL games split between the Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Red Wings, the journeyman has added 47 goals and 240 points.
Red Wings’ playoff hopes fading by the day
At times during the 2024-25 season, it looked like the Red Wings were poised to break a long postseason drought. But it’s been a brutal stretch as of late in Michigan; Detroit has lost eight of 10 games — all in regulation — and fallen to four points out of the final wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference.
Although that isn’t insurmountable, McLellan’s team would need to leapfrog multiple teams in the conference, including the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Rangers, New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens to get in.
And the way the club has played lately, that isn’t looking likely at all. It doesn’t help that, despite putting Andrew Copp on LTIR and recouping his over $5 million cap hit, general manager Steve Yzerman did virtually nothing ahead of the March 7 NHL Trade Deadline.
The roster as currently constructed is struggling mightily, and the playoff mountain is only going to get harder to climb without Gustafsson in the lineup.
It’s going to take a herculean effort for this club to get in; most likely, Detroit’s long playoff drought will stretch from eight to nine years come mid-April.
The Red Wings will look to get back on track against the Vegas Golden Knights on the strip on Saturday night. After that, they’ll head to Utah and Colorado to play the Hockey Club and Avalanche, respectively, next Monday and Tuesday to conclude a four-game road trip.
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