Is Erik Gustafsson or Moritz Seider better suited to begin the season quarterbacking Detroit's top power play unit?
Heading into the new season, the Red Wings will need to replace Shayne Gostisbehere, who departed via free agency after one season in Detroit. Gostisbehere's overall impact is fair to debate, but his 56 points no doubt helped the Red Wings push for the playoffs, and that production stemmed from his efficacy as Detroit's power play quarterback. With Gostisbehere out, will the Red Wings turn to Moritz Seider as his PP1 replacement, or will UFA acquisition Erik Gustafsson slide into the role?
Apr 21, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Erik Gustafsson (56) controls the puck against the Washington Capitals in game one of the first round of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square GardenMy co-host Connor Earegood and I debated this subject on our latest episode of The Silky Mitten State, chewing over the two options. Connor expressed a greater interest in seeing the responsibility added to Seider's plate, while I said that I fully expected to see Gustafsson earn the nod, at least to open the season.
Gustafsson has made a career out of specializing in the art of running a power play. Also, back in 2018-2019 with the Chicago Blackhawks, he set a career high in points with 60, many of them accrued from his PP work beside present Red Wing stars Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane. While I have little doubt that Seider could serve in this role effectively if tapped, I do suspect Detroit's coaching staff will want his energies focused elsewhere.
You can check out a sample of our discussion via the featured video above, then listen to the full show on Spotify or Apple Podcasts: