The Detroit Red Wings have reportedly agreed to a deal with veteran defenseman Erik Gustafsson, last of the New York Rangers

Per the reporting of Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, the Detroit Red Wings have signed veteran 32-year-old defenseman Erik Gustafsson to a two year contract, worth two million dollars per year.

Earlier this morning, it was announced that the Red Wings failed to come to terms on an extension with defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere, who'd signed with the team last July on a one-year deal.  This left a void in the blue line when it comes to a proven power play quarterback, and Gustafsson's signing fills that hole in the lineup.

Gustafsson—who, like Gostisbehere, has bounced around the league, making stops in Chicago, Montreal, Calgary, Philadelphia, Montreal, Washington, Toronto, and most recently with the Rangers—scored six goals and gave 25 assists last season in 76 games.

Of course, the presence of Adam Fox meant that Gustafsson was never going to run the Rangers' first power play, but he helped ensure the team's lethal man advantage unit didn't crater when Fox missed 10 games early in the season.  His career high in points—from the '22-23 season, split between the Capitals and Maple Leafs—is 42, 14 shy of the 56 Gostisbehere put up in Detroit a year ago.  However, he comes at more a modest cost than the as of yet unsigned Gostisbehere projects to and should be a more-than-serviceable option on the PP until one of Moritz Seider, Simon Edvinsson, or eventually Axel Sandin Pellikka is ready for those duties.

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