The Red Wings have inked defenseman Erik Gustafsson to a two-year contract worth $2MM per season, reports Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. They’ve also signed minor league forward Sheldon Dries to a two-year, two-way deal worth $775K NHL/$475K AHL with $525K guaranteed each year, per PuckPedia.
In the organization’s response to losing out on Shayne Gostisbehere, Gustafsson represents a similar style of play. For the first time since the start of the 2020-21 NHL season, Gustafsson will earn more than an $825K AAV. The puck-moving defenseman should find a home on the Red Wings’ powerplay after collecting 60 assists in his last 146 games split between the Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers.
Gustafsson’s role in Detroit should be fairly flexible but he may find a home next to young Red Wings’ defenseman Moritz Seider. Seider has demonstrated a solid ability to shut down the opposing team’s top lines over the last three years and may represent a perfect option next to the offense-first defenseman. Gustafsson should also lift Detroit’s struggling possession numbers from last season as he’s averaged a 55.9% CorsiFor% over eight years in the NHL.
Dries, the Macomb, MI native returns home after spending multiple years in the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks organizations. Playing the entire 2023-24 season for AHL Abbotsford, Dries was one of the best forwards in the AHL as he scored 29 goals and 52 points in 55 games. He should be viewed as a big boost to a Grand Rapids Griffins team that is looking to contend after several years of mediocrity.
W – T – F !! I am at a complete loss for a day i was looking forward to some BIG signings. Glad i dumped my season tickets. Go LIONS !!
Whitey Dries is a great guy, whether in Detroit or GR he’ll be an easy fella to root for.
How many old defensemen is Yzerman going to sign? You keep blocking the young players and not upgrading the team with the guys you sign.
Considering Walman and Ghost are gone they’ve not ADDED any # of Dmen to last year’s total.
And actually they’ve gained 1 NHL spot for Edvinsson
Mo Seider does not shutdown opposing teams top lines. He’s a great young player, but no one defenseman ever shuts down an opposing top line. It’s hockey man. The stars and superstars always have their point a game or better at the end of the year so nobody’s getting shutdown.
It’s amazing how hockey comes up with these buzzwords that people blindly follow.
We need to stop using the term “shutdown.”
There seems to be a lot more “non-scoring”defensemen amidst the heap being touted as “shutdown” defensemen lol. Shutdown is more polite, perhaps?