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Poll: Which College Signing Will Make The Biggest Impact In 2024-25?

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A contract signing frenzy has broken out across the NHL as the NCAA season draws to a close. Teams are in a mad dash to lock up their star prospects, or sign impactful free agents who slipped through the cracks of the draft. The range of outcomes for these fresh pro recruits will stretch across the hockey world. Some will finish their seasons on amateur try-out contracts in the minor leagues, while others have earned a proud AHL shot, and even more find themselves suddenly thrust into the NHL lineup. The group of signees is headlined by prospects with years of anticipation behind them, joining teams with important games left on the docket. Those big additions lead to the natural next question – which college signing will make the biggest impact through the remainder of the year?

University of Minnesota star Jimmy Snuggerud may be an easy top guess. The 20-year-old right-wing has joined a St. Louis Blues team in the midst of a nine-game win-streak that’s propelled them into a confident playoff spot. St. Louis’ success has come in no small part thanks to rookie Zachary Bolduc, who has 16 goals and 31 points in 65 games this season. He’s been backed by other thriving young forwards, like Dylan Holloway and Jake Neighbours. The Blues have leaned into their youth movement by promoting top AHL scorer Dalibor Dvorsky to the top flight, after he potted 20 goals and 43 points in 57 minor league games. Now, St. Louis also adds the snappy shot of Snuggerud after he managed a dazzling 24 goals and 51 points in 40 games of his junior season. Snuggerud doesn’t shy away from physicality and plays a cool, calm, and collected game that should blend well with a Blues offense that’s firing on all cylinders since the calendar turned over.

But St. Louis’ Central Division rivals have a pair of new faces who could find their way to a big splash. The Chicago Blackhawks may be well outside of postseason contention, but they’ve received their own injection of young potential by signing Snuggerud’s UMN teammates, centerman Oliver Moore and defenseman Sam Rinzel. Both players filled top-end roles for the Gophers this season, to dazzling results. Rinzel took home the Big Ten’s ’Defenseman of the Year’ honors this year, after recording 10 goals and 32 points in 40 games of his sophomore season. Moore just narrowly outscored him, potting 12 goals and 33 points in 38 games of his own. The pair have already made their NHL debuts – and while neither scored, they were both instantly noticeable amid a Blackhawks offense that’s slowed down as of late. Chicago is looking towards the future as the season draws to a close, and strong performances out of Moore or Rinzel could go a long way towards cementing their top-of-the-lineup role through next season. It seems Rinzel’s spot may already be locked up – after he recorded over 20 minutes of ice time and four shots on net in his debut.

There’s even more to watch from Gopher alums in the Central Division – with Matthew Wood inking a deal with the Nashville Predators after completing his junior year at UMN. Wood ranked second on the Gophers in scoring behind Snuggerud, with 17 goals and 39 points in 39 games this season. It was an impressive performance for the fresh-transfer – but perhaps even more impressive, it was Wood’s first time not leading his team in scoring since he made his junior hockey debut in the 2020-21 season. He’s a fierce shooter, with the heft and skating to push his way into space, even against top competition. He could quickly find a role on a Predators team that lost Mark Jankowski at the Trade Deadline – and one that’s in desperate need of a booming top prospect to spark hopes.

While the Gophers look to take control of the Central Division, the Metropolitan Division could soon be controlled by Eagles. Boston College stars Ryan Leonard and Gabe Perreault have inked their first pro deals, signing with the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers respectively. The duo are absolute top prospects who have spent the vast majority of the last four seasons playing on the same line. Leonard is a beefy sniper capable of driving down the boards with speed and getting the puck on net quick. Perreault is a bit more nimble – and uses a strong drive to overwhelm opponents on the forecheck and quick hands to beat them in his paths to the net. Both have done nothing but sparkle with their individual efforts, and seem fully capable of translating at least some of their upside to the NHL right away. Leonard will join the best team in the league, while Perreault will join a squad currently in tight contention for the Eastern Conference’s second Wild Card. Both roles should lead to major roles that could lead the top names to quick scoring.

Plenty of other signings across the hockey world could pay off sooner rather than later. Even if they don’t, the chance to watch top prospects finally donning their NHL jerseys is hard no to be excited over. Who do you think will make the biggest impact? Vote below:

For mobile users, click here to vote.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Bruins Patrick Brown, Vinni Lettieri Clear Waivers

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3/31: Both Bruins forwards have cleared waivers, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. They will now be eligible to be assigned to the minor leagues.

3/30: The Boston Bruins have placed forwards Patrick Brown and Vinni Lettieri on waivers, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Both players have been up and down between the major and minor rosters this season, after each successfully clearing waivers in October.

Lettieri has been the slightly more utilized forward between the pair. He’s appeared in 19 games this season and scored two goals and three points, while tacking on four penalty minutes and a minus-eight. It’s another season of low-scoring for Lettieri, after he entered the season with just 27 points in 128 career NHL games. He’s been far more exciting in the minors this season – with 20 goals and 48 points in 46 games ranking him second on the Providence Bruins in scoring. Lettieri is one of just 15 AHL skaters still scoring above a point-per-game pace through 20-or-more games. While his NHL scoring has stayed consistently low, he’s been a routine force in the minors. Lettieri has rivaled point-per-game scoring in every AHL season since 2020-21 – including netting a career-high 49 points in 48 games of the 2022-23 campaign. With a succesful pass through waivers, Lettieri could be in a great spot to break that career-high in his age-30 season.

Brown has performed a slight step behind Lettieri all year long. He has just one assist in 13 NHL games, and 44 points in 52 AHL games, on the season. He too entered the year with little NHL momentum behind him – entering 2024-25 with just 25 points in 149 career games. But his minor-league scoring does mark a small breakout after Brown managed just 32 points in 42 AHL games last season, and 21 points in 60 games of his last full AHL season in 2019-20. He spent the gap between the AHL stints playing routine minutes with the Philadelphia Flyers, and filling an extra forward role with the Vegas Golden Knights and Ottawa Senators. The journeyman Brown is now settled with the Bruins, and could soon head to support Providence’s Calder Cup Playoffs push after they clinched a spot last weekend.

Of note, neither player will be able to return to the NHL this season should they be claimed off of waivers. They’ll instead have to be assigned to their new team’s minor league program and potentially support a different Calder Cup race.

Wild Brendan Gaunce, Devin Shore Clear Waivers

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3/31: Both Wild forwards have cleared waivers, per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. They will now be eligible to be assigned to the minor leagues.

3/30: The Minnesota Wild have placed depth forwards Brendan Gaunce and Devin Shore on waivers per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Both players have bounced between rosters all season long. Shore was placed on, and cleared, waivers in each of September, December, January, and February – while Gaunce was successfully waived in September.

While he’s often been the first cut when Minnesota needs roster flexibility, Shore has spent the large majority of his season on the NHL roster. He’s stepped into 51 games on the year and recorded five points, six penalty minutes, and a minus-six from Minnesota’s fourth line. Shore has also been returned to the minors for 14 games on the year. He has a productive 10 points, six penalty minutes, and minus-11 in those appearances. While he hasn’t found much scoring at either level, this year has marked the most Shore has played in one NHL season since 2016-17 and 2017-18 – when he played through two full seasons with the Dallas Stars. Those were career years for Shore, giving him the platform to score a career-high 33 and 32 points respectively. He’s fallen into the role of journeyman depth forward in the years since, playing through tenures with the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, and Seattle Kraken.

While Shore has provided Minnesota with a veteran presence in their extra forward slot, Gaunce has found his footing at the top of the AHL Iowa Wild lineup. He has 15 goals and 29 points in 35 AHL games this season, good for fifth on the roster in scoring. Those appearances have been intercut with 12 games in the NHL lineup, though Gaunce has only tallied one assist, four penalty minutes, and a minus-four at the top flight. He’s bounced between the NHL and AHL over the last three years, after a quick pit stop in Sweden’s SHL in the shortened 2020-21 campaign. He scored a career-high 39 points in 46 AHL games last season and has 29 points in 189 career NHL games.

Of note, neither player will be able to rejoin the NHL should they be claimed off waivers due to the post-Deadline roster rules . They will instead need to be assigned to their new club’s minor-league program.

Big Hype Prospects: Gadowsky, Boija, Hutson, Borgesi

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College hockey has drawn into the center focus of the hockey world. The NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament kicked off on Thursday, and plenty of players are calculating their next moves by entering the transfer portal or signing pro deals. That attention has lifted up the top athletes across the college world, giving us another reason to borrow from MLB Trade Rumors’ Big Hype Prospects series to share four names to watch with the season coming to an end.

Four Big Hype Prospects

Mac Gadowsky, LD, Army / U.S. Military Academy (NCAA, Atlantic Hockey America, NHL Free Agent)
38 GP – 16 G – 26 A – 42 TP – 6 PIM – +5

The final 10 Hobey Baker Finalists were revealed on March 19th. The list contains star NHL prospects like Zeev Buium and Ryan Leonard – but no name stands off the list quite like Army star Mac Gadowsky. Gadowsky was unstoppable this year, showing brazen confidence on the puck and the energy to make an all-three-zones impact on every single shift. He drove hard on and off of the puck and used his stocky six-foot-three, 185-pound frame to force opponents into tireless, gritty hockey. Gadowsky led all collegiate defensemen in goals scored, largely on the back of his ability to generate dangerous shots from the perimeter after leading the fast break. The sophomore defender found his way to 42 points this season – second among all defenders behind freshman star Cole Hutson – a significant stride forward from his 23 points in 28 games last year. Gadowsky’s motor and grit have been clear for a while, but his scoring was shielded through two years in the NAHL before he moved to Army. He’s broken out in full this year, and looks like a strong bet to earn college’s MVP title after emerging as Army’s top option.

Albin Boija, G, University of Maine (NCAA, Hockey East, NHL Free Agent)
36 GP – 23-7-6 record – .930 Sv% – 1.76 GAA

While Gadowsky sits at the center of Hobey Baker attention, star Maine goaltender Albin Boija will be close to the top of the list of snubs. He was a consistent impact for the Black Bears, working his way to the fifth-highest save percentage in the country while playing in the sixth-most games. The sophomore Boija grabbed firm control of Maine’s starter’s crease early in the season and never faltered enough to earn question. It was a performance that many expected from the 21-year-old netminder, after he posted a dazzling .916 in 18 games as Maine’s backup last season. Boija played behind Seattle Kraken draft pick Victor Ostman last season – and far outperformed the latter’s .892 save percentage. Boija’s breakout year was built on flashes of great athleticism and locked-in movements throughout the entire season. His movements and puck-tracking looked to be at a pro level through his high points this season, but he’s rumored to be headed for a return to college next year, per NHL.com’s Mark Divver. That news will be thrilling news for Maine, who gets back one of the hottest goaltenders across college, and gives Boija a chance to chase the MVP title with another dazzling year.

Quinn Hutson, F, Boston University (NCAA, Hockey East, NHL Free Agent)
34 GP – 21 G – 26 A – 47 TP – 29 PIM – +20

The Boston University Terriers ended the regular season with the most goals in their conference. At the core of their offense has been the Hutson brothers – Washington Capitals star prospect Cole, and emerging junior Quinn Hutson. Quinn has been a top scorer throughout his junior hockey career, netting a whopping 115 points in 104 games in the USHL before moving to BU in 2022-23. He’s grown in every season since, with 29 points as a freshman and 36 points as a sophomore. Both of those totals came narrowly below a point-per-game pace – a mark that Hutson blew out of the water with 21 goals and 47 points in 34 games this season. He’s shown an increased ability to create in the dangerous areas of the ice, getting pucks on net quickly in the slot and using short passes to open space with teammates. He’s not abundantly fast or strong, but plays a well-rounded game with a sharp eye for the net. Those traits, backed by a hard-nosed drive on the forecheck, will be enough to make Hutson a top pro free agent when the Terriers’ season ends.

Vinny Borgesi, RD, Northeastern University (NCAA, Hockey East, NHL Free Agent)
32 GP – 5 G – 17 A – 22 TP – 16 PIM – +1

Five-foot-eight defenseman Vincent Borgesi has been easily overlooked across his juniors career. His scoring hasn’t jumped off the page dating back to his days in the USHL – and his 22 points this season fell just shy of the 28 points he totaled in 34 games last year. But Borgesi’s confidence on and off of the puck has grown exponentially over his three years at Northeastern University. He’s found new ways to use his bulky, 175-pound frame – engaging opponents in the corners and low-slot with far more effectiveness than in year’s past. Borgesi has added those traits while maintaining his quick and snappy abilities on the puck, sparking fast breakouts and seamlessly joining the rush. He was a key driver for the Huskies this season, and offers under-the-radar upside as a puck-mover capable of holding his own away from the puck. Borgesi won’t jump off the page in the same way as his Hockey East peers, but he’ll remain a key name to watch for minor-league squads looking to bolster their ranks before the playoffs.

Predators Place Marc Del Gaizo, Kieffer Bellows On Waivers

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March 27: Bellows and Del Gaizo cleared waivers, Nick Kieser of 102.5 The Game reports. Both remain on Nashville’s roster for now.

March 26: The Nashville Predators have placed defenseman Marc Del Gaizo and left-winger Kieffer Bellows on waivers per PuckPedia. Del Gaizo has been with the NHL club since late February, while Bellows was called up on March 7th.

Serving as the Predators’ de facto defense call-up, Del Gaizo has split the season between the major and minor league rosters. He’s recorded eight points and 17 penalty minutes in 35 NHL games this season, making this year Del Gaizo’s formal rookie season after playing in nine games, and netting three points, in the NHL last year. He’s also added eight goals, 12 points, and 16 penalty minutes in 30 AHL games this season. That mark sits as a slight downtick from the 34 points he scored in 60 AHL games last year, and the 31 points he scored in 71 games of the 2022-23 season. The 25-year-old defender has found a niche as a stout defender away from the puck, though his menial scoring wasn’t enough to earn an everyday spot this season.

Bellows hasn’t found his NHL scoring this season either, with just three points in 13 games this season. He’s been far more productive in the minors, where his 14 goals and 29 points in 41 games ranks sixth on the Milwaukee Admirals in scoring. Bellows’ 54 penalty minutes also ranks fifth on the squad. He’s playing through his first season with the Predators organization after posting an impressive 27 goals and 49 points in 52 games with the AHL’s Toronto Marlies last season. The Canadian stint was part of what’s turning into a journeyman career for Bellows, who’s played with the New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, and Predators within the last four seasons.

Both players seem likely to clear waivers and head back to the minor leagues, but their status will be important to watch. Should either player be claimed, they would be ineligible to be recalled to the NHL for the rest of the seasons. Both players are set to become unrestricted free agents this summer, which could mean they’ve played their last NHL games of the year – should another team want to bolster their minor-league lineups ahead of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Utah Recalls Kailer Yamamoto

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The Utah Hockey Club has recalled depth winger Kailer Yamamoto. Yamamoto made the Utah roster out of training camp but was cleared through waivers and assigned to the minor leagues on October 26th. This is his first call-up since that transaction, giving him another chance to find NHL ice time on the one-year, two-way, league-minimum deal he signed in Utah this summer.

Yamamoto has been a driving force for the AHL’s Tuscon Roadrunners this season. He leads the team in scoring with 51 points in 51 games played – making him one of just 17 AHLers scoring at or above a point-per-game pace, among players with at least 20 games played. Yamamoto spent the last four seasons in an everyday NHL role, split across tenures with the Edmonton Oilers and Seattle Kraken. He had a career year in the 2021-22 campaign, when he potted 20 goals and 41 points in 81 games – a career-high in all scoring categories and games played.

But Yamamoto couldn’t find a way to make his scoring stick, and struggled to work out of a bottom-line rotation with his team’s extra forwards. He fell to 25 points in 58 games in the 2022-23 season, then managed just 16 points in 59 games with Seattle last year. A move to Utah was meant to serve as a spark, but after three pointless games to start the NHL season – Yamamoto was shipped back to the minors for his first AHL games since 2019-20.

Yamamoto’s call-up is purely for depth reasons, per Cole Bagley of KSL Sports – meaning Utah isn’t facing any additional injuries or absences. That could make it tough for Yamamoto to work his way into the lineup. If he does, it will likely come over bottom-six winger Matias Maccelli, who has just one point in his last 10 games. Maccelli is the only Utah forward without multiple points in their latest 10 appearances.

Avalanche Sign Isak Posch, Cooper Gay To Two-Year Deals

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The Colorado Avalanche have joined in on the college free agent market by signing St. Cloud State University goaltender Isak Posch and University of St. Thomas forward Cooper Gay to two-year, entry-level contracts. Both deals are set to start next season. Neither player has been added to a minor league roster yet.

Posch will turn pro after completing his sophomore season at St. Cloud. He served as an oft-used backup in his freshman season and posted a meager 5-6-2 record and .901 save percentage in 14 games. But with his feet wet with college ice, Posch was able to win out the clear-cut starting role and post a much stronger statline this season. He ended the year with a .923 save percentage – the 11th-highest in the country among goalies with at least 20 games – and a strong 12-10-0 record.

Posch moved to America ahead of the 2021-22 season, after growing up through the IF Bjorkloven and Leksands IF systems in Sweden. He posted a dismal 9-23-3 record and .872 save percentage with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede in his first North American season – getting little support from a then-struggling Stampede defense. That prompted a move to the NAHL for the 2022-23 campaign, where Posch managed a much improved statline, with a 25-13-2 record and .926 save percentage. He entered college with that performance behind his sails, and found a way to continue the strong play into the next step. Posch will join a crowded goalie room in the Colorado organization – and likely faces a battle with players like Trent Miner and Adam Scheel for AHL ice time next season.

Gay will join the Avalanche organization after completing his junior year at St. Thomas. The six-foot-four, 210-pound winger was initially slow-going at the college flight, netting just seven points in 30 games of his freshman campaign. But he found his role as a bruiser on the boards and in the slot last season, helping push him to 12 goals and 21 points in 29 games as a sophomore. Gay built on those numbers this year, with 19 goals and 30 points in 35 games. He also served as one of St. Thomas’ alternate captain this year.

Gay grew up through Benilde-St. Margaret’s School in Minnesota, and spent seasons with the NAHL’s Minnesota Magicians and St. Cloud Norsemen, as well as the USHL’s Fargo Force. He wasn’t much of a scorer at the juniors level – totaling just 13 points in 40 NAHL games and 14 points in 51 USHL games. But he’s come along in recent years, as he continues to find comfort in his lumbering frame. While Posch will have a battle for ice time, Gay’s sturdy frame could give him a clear path to top-nine minutes in the minor leagues. With continued strong scoring, his nitch as a physical, net-front presence could even earn Gay NHL attention in the years to come.

Canucks’ Elias Pettersson, Nils Hoglander Out At Least Four Games

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The Vancouver Canucks will be without star centerman Elias Pettersson and top-six winger Nils Hoglander for the remaining four games of their current road-trip per NHL.com’s Mike Morreale. Both players missed Vancouver’s team practice on Sunday after each leaving Saturday night’s game with injury. Pettersson exited with roughly five minutes left in the second period. He didn’t appear to sustain an injury, though none of his final five shifts lasted longer than 30 seconds. Hoglander exited with under two minutes left in the second and also didn’t appear injured, though he did get in a choppy stick battle in his final shift. Both players are out with undisclosed injuries.

The Canucks were two games into their second six-game road trip of the season. Pettersson and Hoglander were both pivotal pieces of the lineup in the road trip’s kickoff game against St. Louis on Thursday. Pettersson led all forwards with 20 minutes of ice time and recorded two assists, while Hoglander scored one assist in 17 minutes of ice time. Neither scored in their limited action on Saturday, and Vancouver will now be forced to fill two glaring holes in their top-six.

Rookie Aatu Räty is expected to earn an immediate promotion to the lineup. Räty hasn’t played since January 31st, which was itself a one-off start after not receiving routine NHL minutes since December. He’s appeared in 21 NHL games in total this season, netting just four points split evenly. Räty has been far more productive in the minor leagues, where he leads the Abbotsford Canucks in both total and point-per-game scoring with 39 points in 41 games. The Canucks recalled Räty ahead of Saturday’s game, and he’ll now have a golden chance at hardy minutes with Vancouver away from home for another week.

The Canucks are also carrying rookie Jonathan Lekkerimaki, who has rotated into the NHL lineup throughout March. He’s managed seven appearances and one assist through the month, bringing his season-long totals up to four points in 18 NHL Games. Lekkerimaki has also scored 19 goals and 28 points in 32 AHL games this year. He’s received as little as nine minutes of ice time through his recent stretch in the top flight, though Hoglander’s absence should break open at least a third-line role. Räty and Lekkerimaki could also be beneficiaries of the large chunk of power-play minutes that both Pettersson and Hoglander leave behind.

This will be a great chance for Vancouver’s top prospects to show they can shine. The Canucks will need all the support they can get, as they find themselves five points away from a Western Conference Wild Card with two games in hand. They’ve posted a menial 5-4-1 record over their last 10 games – not enough to get ahead the red-hot, 8-1-1 St. Louis Blues or the productive 5-2-3 record of the Calgary Flames. Even with opportunity at hand, it’s hard to imagine the rookies will live up to Pettersson’s 45 points in 64 games this season, which leads all Canucks forwards. Hoglander’s 21 points in 66 games, and gritty middle-six role, will likely be a bit more acheivable to match.

Devils Recall Nolan Foote

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The New Jersey Devils have recalled forward Nolan Foote from the minor leagues. New Jersey opted not to practice on Friday, keeping reporters from clearly seeing who Foote could be filling in for. Both Ondrej Palat and Curtis Lazar are questionable for Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators due to undisclosed injuries. Both forwards sat out of the team’s Thursday loss to the Calgary Flames.

While it’s unclear if he’ll step into the lineup, this recall is nonetheless good news for Foote. It’s just his second call-up of the season, after he spent 10 days on the NHL roster in November. Foote stepped into two NHL games on that stint but didn’t manage any scoring. He’s been far more productive in the minors, where he leads the Utica Comets in scoring with 39 points in 53 games. He’s also second on the team with 18 goals, behind Brian Halonen’s 21 goals. The performance has been a welcome return to form for Foote, after he missed all but eight games of the 2023-24 season with injury. Prior to that, Foote had scored 37 points in 55 AHL games in the 2022-23 campaign. He’s lapped those totals this year, and could now get a chance at hardy NHL minutes.

Foote has appeared in 25 NHL games across the last five seasons. He started off hot, with six points in his first 13 career games. But he’s added just two points since then. On the back of an improved groove in the minors, this recall could be a chance to get back onto an NHL scoresheet. Palat’s absence could open up third-line minutes, while Lazar vacates a fourth-line role. It’s likely New Jersey will allocate the bulk of minutes, and special team roles, to players like Daniel Sprong and Erik Haula. That likely leaves a minute, fourth-line role for Foote, should he be the preferred lineup choice. The Devils also have centerman Justin Dowling on the NHL roster and available to cover injuries.

Red Wings’ Erik Gustafsson Out Long-Term, Elmer Söderblom Day-To-Day

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The Detroit Red Wings continue to receive bad news from their blue-line. Head coach Todd McLellan shared that veteran defender Erik Gustafsson will be out long-term with an undisclosed injury. McLellan didn’t provide a specific timeline for Gustafsson’s absence, though he’s been significantly downgraded after only being designated as out day-to-day on Thursday. Rookie forward Elmer Söderblom will also be out of the lineup with an undisclosed injury, and remains day-to-day.

Gustafsson appeared to suffer his injury in the third period of Detroit’s Tuesday loss to the Washington Capitals after a collision with Capitals forward Lars Eller sent him crashing into the boards. No specifics of Gustafsson’s injury have been revealed, though his awkward fall into the boards could suggest knee or ankle related issues.

In response to these injuries, Detroit has recalled forwards Austin Watson and Brogan Rafferty under emergency conditions.

Now, it seems Gustafsson’s scary crash will indeed result in a long-term absence. He’s been leaned on heavily down the stretch, and even played upwards of 20 minutes a night in Detroit’s second-half. Gustafsson ranks third on the Detroit blue-line in scoring with 18 points in 60 games. He’s also posted a team-worst minus-19. Both statlines are a downtick from Gustafsson’s 31 points and plus-three in 76 games with the New York Rangers last season; which was itself a step down from 42 points and a plus-nine in the 2022-23 season.

Detroit will need to fill vacancies on the second pair and second powerplay unit with Gustafsson out. That latter hole has opened the door for rookie Simon Edvinsson to finally earn consistent powerplay ice time. Edvinsson has 25 points in 64 games this season. He also ranks third on the blue-line in blocks (118) and hits (66) behind Moritz Seider and Ben Chiarot. Edvinsson is known for his puck control and passing ability – and racking up impacts away from the puck has helped earn him a chance at special teams minutes.

Who fills Gustafsson’s even-strength role is less clear. Rookie Albert Johansson seems like the best candidate to step into a bigger role, after playing over 21 minutes of action in each of his last two games. Johansson has eight points and a minus-seven in 47 games this year. He’s also tallied 76 blocked shots and 49 hits – stats that rank first and third on the Red Wings’ blue-line on a per-game basis. If not Johansson, Detroit is likely to award bigger minutes to Chiarot and William Lagesson. Chiarot has 11 points in 67 games, while Lagesson hasn’t yet scored through two appearances.

While the Red Wings rush to fill Gustafsson’s openings, rookie Söderblom will focus on not losing his momentum. He has nine points in 22 games this season – one more point in one more game than he totaled in his first taste of the NHL in 2022-23. He’s been a sizeable addition to the Red Wings lineup, both in height and impact – giving the Wings a hint of the success that the New York Rangers have found in players like Adam Edstrom. Söderblom still has a path to pave before he’s an everyday piece of the lineup, but a strong return from injury could do the work for him.

The Red Wings bear with these injuries while sitting on the fringe of a hotly-contested playoff race. Five different teams have between 70 and 74 points in the Eastern Conference. Detroit sits on the low-end, while the Montreal Canadiens have hold of the second Wild Card spot on the other end. Properly filling Gustafsson’s void, and seeing the return of an impactful bottom-six piece like Söderblom, could heavily sway Detroit’s playoffs hopes as they approach their final 14 games of the season.

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