That will change when the Rangers skate against the Red Wings in a rematch at Little Caesars Arena on Thursday.

Erik Gustafsson will be in the Red Wings lineup after he was a healthy scratch the previous two games.

It’s been an inauspicious start in Detroit for the 32-year-old defenseman, who signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Red Wings on July 1. Gustafsson played in the season opener, an ugly 6-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He had an assist and logged more than 20 minutes of ice time, but coach Derek Lalonde was not pleased with Gustafsson’s all-around play.

Getting ready for today's morning skate at @TheGarden and old friend Erik Gustafsson is in with Detroit. pic.twitter.com/IoTDfgJ7uD

— Colin Stephenson (@ColinSNewsday) October 14, 2024

So, the veteran was scratched for a 3-0 shutout win against the Nashville Predators and then in what would’ve been his first game against his old team.

“I think he wanted more out of his five-on-five game in Game 1,” Lalonde told reporters Wednesday. “And in reality, we talked about Justin [Holl] getting an opportunity and Albert Johansson an opportunity, and we put together two really good defensive games, team games, when he was out. So, it’s a little bit of this, a little bit of that.”

Part of it is that the Red Wings’ power play was 0-for-6 with Gustafsson out of the lineup and is 1-for-11 so far this season. One of the reasons he was brought in was to replace Shayne Gostisbehere and help quarterback the power play.

“I think [Thursday] will be a good day to get ‘Goose’ back in, especially with the power play and still working with power play,” Lalonde explained. “Obviously it’s frustrating. We only have the one goal and we’ve needed it. I think a couple of those games could look a little different with finishing on the power play.”

The Rangers killed off all four Detroit power plays Monday, though the Red Wings had seven shots on goal during one second-period man advantage.

Related: Rangers vs. Red Wings: 3 things to watch for in Original 6 rematch

Erik Gustafsson to face Rangers 1st time since signing with Red Wings

Gustafsson was a third-pair fixture on the Rangers defense last season. He had 31 points (six goals, 25 assists) averaging 17:24 TOI in 76 regular-season games. He also played all 16 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and had three assists.

Except when Adam Fox missed 10 games early in the season with a knee injury, Gustafsson did not play on New York’s top power-play unit, instead slotting in on the second unit. But he’s been a key power-play producer throughout his career, including solid seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals.

With Gustafsson’s departure, the Rangers turned to Zac Jones to take his spot on the third pair. The 23-year-old has paired with rookie Victor Mancini to begin the season. Jones has one assist and is averaging more than 15 minutes of ice time after being New York’s seventh defenseman last season.

Mancini has stood out with his strong two-way play, but might be heading back to the minor leagues soon. Veteran defenseman Ryan Lindgren is practicing with the Rangers again after sustaining an upper-body injury in the preseason, and is close to a return.

Lindgren skated as part of an extra defense pairing Wednesday and Thursday morning with veteran Chad Ruhwedel, who’s been the Rangers’ extra defenseman this season.

As for the other former Rangers currently on the Red Wings roster, Patrick Kane picked up his first point (assist) of the season Monday; Vladimir Tarasenko and Andrew Copp each has one goal; and Tyler Motte is scoreless in a bottom-six role. Talbot, who posted a shutout in his first Red Wings start, is expected to get the call against his former team Thursday.

The victory Monday was, by and large, a good all-around effort by the Rangers (2-0-1). They never trailed, scored three more even-strength goals, got three-point performances form Mika Zibanejad and Artemi Panarin, and Igor Shesterkin was terrific making 31 saves.

However, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette was less than thrilled with their play in the second period. The Rangers allowed 14 shots on goal in that period and six high-danger scoring chances, per Natural Stat Trick. If not for Shesterkin’s brilliant play, there could’ve been a different narrative coming out of the game Monday.

Lines and D pairs at the #NYR morning skate:
20-93-91
10-16-13
50-72-24
84-39-22
79-23
4-8
6-90
55-5 pic.twitter.com/q3cuHCQzUX

— Colin Stephenson (@ColinSNewsday) October 17, 2024

New York did play much better defensively in the third period and secured another two points. Now, the Rangers begin a three-game road trip in Detroit, where the Red Wings (1-2-0) have split two games so far this season after posting a 23-13-5 home record in 2023-24.

After the game Thursday, the Rangers travel to Toronto for a Hockey Night in Canada contest Saturday against he Maple Leafs, and finish off the trip in Montreal against the Canadiens on Tuesday.

Related: Rangers coach believes moving Braden Schneider around ‘hasn’t seemed to bother him’

3 things to watch for when Rangers visit Red Wings

1. Quick decision

Last week, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette explained “there’s a plan” for when Jonathan Quick will make his first start of the season. With games on the early-season schedule spread out and Shesterkin looking to get as much work as possible, it was a big question as to when Quick would make his season debut between the pipes.

Well, that’ll happen Thursday against the Red Wings. Quick was the first goalie off the ice at the morning skate, just as he was after practice Wednesday, and Laviolette confirmed he’s in against the Red Wings.

Interestingly, Quick’s most recent win was April 5 last season in Detroit, when he made 31 saves in a 4-3 Rangers victory. In his career, the 38-year-old is 15-14-1 against the Red Wings with a 2.81 goals-against average, .905 save percentage and two shutouts.

2. Face-off take off

The Rangers had their way in the face-off circle against the Red Wings on Monday, and will look to dominate again Thursday. New York won 58 percent of the draws taken; each of its centers was at least 50 percent, and Mika Zibanejad, Vincent Trocheck and Sam Carrick each was better than 60 percent. Trocheck won 17 of 28 face-offs (61 percent).

Two face-off wins in the offensive zone led directly to goals for the Rangers. Trocheck won a clean face-off in the right circle on the power play that preceded Chris Kreider’s game-winning goal late in the second period. Then Zibanejad’s clean win in the same spot set up Reilly Smith for his first goal with the Rangers in the third period.

Reilly Smith rips one and scores his first as a New York Ranger 🚨@NYRangers | #NYR pic.twitter.com/YUEtwvJVqw

— Rangers on MSG (@RangersMSGN) October 15, 2024

Zibanejad is at 66.7 percent through three games, and Trocheck sits at 60.9 percent after being among the League leaders last season with a 58.7 percent win rate. Chytil, who won seven of 14 draws Monday, is struggling to start the season, winning just 34.4 percent of his face-offs.

3. Chris Kreider’s health; ‘Gus’ to face former team

One day after missing practice because he was sick, Kreider took part in the morning skate and is set to play Thursday. The 33-year-old leads the Rangers with three goals — scoring one each at even strength, on the power play and short-handed.

Jonny Brodzinski, who was a placeholder in Kreider’s spot at practice, was back skating on the fourth line and appears to be the choice there again ahead of Matt Rempe, who’s on his way to his third scratch in four games.

Former Rangers defenseman Erik Gustafsson will be back in the Red Wings lineup. The veteran defenseman, who signed with Detroit after being on New York’s third pair last season, played in the Red Wings season opener but was scratched the past two games. Coach Derek Lalonde was displeased with Gustafsson’s 5-on-5 play, but is hoping he can boost a slumping Detroit power play, which is 1-for-11 to begin the season.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Kreider – Zibanejad – Smith

Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere

Cuylle – Chytil – Kakko

Edstrom – Carrick – Brodzinski

Miller – Fox

Schneider – Trouba

Jones – Mancini

Quick

Shesterkin

Check back for updates after Rangers coach Peter Laviolette meets with the media Thursday morning.

Rangers vs. Red Wings: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers vs. Detroit Red Wings

Where: Little Caesars Arena

When: Thursday Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. ET

How to Watch: ESPN+, Hulu

Click here for New York Rangers complete 2024-25 schedule and game results

This is the 606th all-time meeting between the teams, and first of two this week, with the Rangers traveling to Detroit for a rematch Thursday at Little Caesars Arena. The Rangers are 229-264-9 with 103 ties all-time against the Red Wings, but 9-1-2 in their past 12 meetings.

The Rangers are 1-0-1 to begin the 2024-25 season, coming off a wild 6-5 overtime loss in their home opener Saturday against the Utah Hockey Club. Artemi Panarin had two goals in the defeat and leads New York with four points.

The Red Wings (1-1-0) are coming off a 3-0 win against the Nashville Predators after a dreadful 6-3 loss on opening night to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Former Rangers goalie Cam Talbot made 42 saves in his first Red Wings start to earn his 32nd NHL shutout Saturday.

Related: Rangers coah impressed with Adam Edstrom’s first-ever fight

3 things to watch for when Rangers host Red Wings

1. Back to basics

After aborting their structure to play run-and-gun hockey with Utah over the weekend, expect the Rangers to tighten up against the Red Wings. Adm Fox noted that Utah seems to thrive on chaos and wide-open hockey, and the Rangers were sucked into it Saturday, though they did settle down in the third period.

The Rangers had some early defensive gaffes early on against the Penguins, too, but imposed their will in an eventual 6-0 win. Chris Kreider noted that the Rangers have hung goalie Igor Shesterkin out to dry too often in the first two games.

Rangers coach Peter Laviolette was clear where he stands in his pregame comments Monday.

“It’s another good test for us to calm things down, quiet things down, with regard to defense,” Laviolette said.

2. Rangers reunion

The Red Wings have three former Rangers on their roster, including defenseman Erik Gustafsson, who returns to New York for the first time since signing a two-year, $4 million contract with Detroit on July 1. The defenseman played 76 games with the Rangers and had 31 points (six goals, 25 points) last season. He’s been replaced by Zac Jones on the third pair.

Gustafsson is off to a rocky start in Detroit. After posting an assist and a minus-2 rating in the season opener, Gustafsson was a healthy scratch against the Predators.

Talbot, of course, began his NHL career with the Rangers and played in the NHL All-Star Game last season as a member of the Los Angeles Kings. He relieved Ville Husso on opening night and then was outstanding in his first start against the Predators.

The Red Wings also have Vladimir Tarasenko. The two-time Stanley Cup champion is on his third team after leaving New York following the 2022-23 season, when he was acquired before the trade deadline. Tarasenko, it should be noted, scored the series-winning goal for the Florida Panthers against the Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final last spring.

Then there’s Patrick Kane and Andrew Copp, each of whom played briefly for the Rangers. Kane, by the way, is searching for his first point of the season.

Former #NYR Erik Gustafsson is here saying hello to the guys pic.twitter.com/KpBLZIbWAt

— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) October 14, 2024

3. Third-line consistency

It’s only two games into the new season, but the Rangers’ third line of Will Cuylle, Filip Chytil and Kaapo Kakko has looked really good, so far. That line has dominated puck possession and scoring chances against the opposition, and each player is a team-leading plus-4 through two games.

Cuylle is tied for second on the Rangers with three points (one goal, two assists) and been a huge physical presence, though he’s already been penalized twice for goalie interference. Chytil has one goal and Kakko is tied for third on the Rangers with six shots on goal.

This threesome has been a handful on the forecheck and equally responsible defensively. Let’s see if they can fill the net Monday.

New York Rangers projected lineup

Kreider – Zibanejad – Smith

Panarin – Trocheck – Lafreniere

Cuylle – Chytil – Kakko

Edstrom – Carrick – Brodzinski

Miller – Fox

Schneider – Trouba

Jones – Mancini

Shesterkin

Quick

Check back for updates after Rangers coach Peter Laviolette meets with the media Monday morning.

Rangers vs. Red Wings: When, where, what time, how to watch

Who: New York Rangers Detroit Red Wings

Where: Madison Square Garden

When: Monday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. ET

How to Watch: MSG

Click here for New York Rangers complete 2024-25 schedule and game results

Gustafsson signed a two-year, $4 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings this offseason after one solid season with the Blueshirts. Instead of bringing in a veteran to replace Gustafsson, the Rangers stood pat, clearly believing that Jones, entering his age-24 season, was ready to finally assume a regular spot in the lineup.

Their only other move of significance on defense was bringing back Chad Ruhwedel on a League-minimum deal to provide depth as the 7th or 8th defenseman on the roster.

So, the Rangers actions spoke volumes about their plans to replace Gustafsson this season. Now, coach Peter Laviolette’s words backed up New York’s actions.

“Zac Jones got better every single time he played for us,” Laviolette told NHL.com. “He had to bring that out in himself every time we called his number, and it wasn’t on a consistent basis. When he got the opportunity, he was fantastic. Certainly, he’s going to get a long look in training camp.”

Jones played an NHL career-high 31 games last season. As Laviolette noted, that playing time was not on any consistent basis. He became a lineup regular in November when Adam Fox missed a month with a knee injury. Jones then played only six games December through February.

However, Jones stepped into a regular role in March, when he appeared in 12 games because of injuries to Jacob Trouba, Ryan Lindgren and Gustafsson. He logged more than 17 minutes of ice time five times and drew raves from Laviolette and his teammates.

“He’s worked his tail off every practice and every day,” Laviolette said in March. “He’s gotten an opportunity to jump back in here. He’s waited for this, he’s been patient, worked hard to get the opportunity and he’s jumped back in and has been playing excellent hockey again.”

Jones finished 2023-24 with nine points (two goals, seven assists) and a plus-one rating. Though many called for him to get a chance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, when Gutsafsson and Trouba struggled, Jones did not play a single one of New York’s 16 postseason games.

Related: How Matt Rempe earned respect of rugged divisional foe last season

Zac Jones in line to replace Erik Gustafsson on Rangers defense corps

It appears now that, after four seasons with minimal NHL experience (69 games), Jones will get his opportunity this Fall. He could play alongside Trouba, the veteran captain, or Braden Schneider, the 22-year-old who seems ticketed for top-four duty sooner rather than later. Either way, that spot on the third pairing is his to lose.

At 5-foot-10 and 176 pounds, Jones does not bring size nor physicality to the defense corps. That would seem counter to their need on the back end, especially after the Rangers struggled to effectively handle the relentless physical play of the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final this past spring.

However, Jones is a slick puck mover, perhaps surpassed by only Fox among Rangers defensemen in this category. That could have benefitted the Rangers against the Panthers, when they failed time and again to exit their zone with crisp, clean passes from the defense corps.

Jones is in the mold of Gustafsson, as far as his skillset goes. Gustafsson is bigger (6-foot-1, 186 pounds) and more experienced (455 NHL games), but he and Jones are good skaters and puck movers, capable of putting up points from the back end. To that end, look for Jones to get a crack at quarterbacking the Rangers PP2 unit, just as Gustafsson did a year ago.

If for some reason things do not go well for Jones, which would be a surprise, the Rangers could always upgrade their defense corps ahead of the trade deadline, with Jones serving as a valuable 7th defensemen.

The flip side of that is the Rangers may have another important affordable piece in place for years to come if Jones plays to what the Laviolette and the Blueshirts expect.

And clearly, he’s going to get the opportunity to prove himself finally with the Rangers.

Jones was the extra defenseman on the Blueshirts roster last season, but the 23-year-old is expected to move up the pecking order and on to the third pairing in 2024-25 now that Erik Gustafsson left for a two-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings this offseason.

As things stand, Ben Harpur is in line to challenge Jones to be in the opening-night lineup on the third pair. The 29-year-old had surgery for a torn pectoral muscle last season and played only seven games with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League. The 6-foot-6 defender does have 198 games of NHL experience, though, including 42 with the Rangers in 2022-23.

Schmidt would have been a great option on the back end for the Rangers, but he elected for a very cheap $800,000 one-year deal with the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. Brannstrom took a similar route, signing a one-year deal worth $900,000 with the Colorado Avalanche after his contract was bought out by the Ottawa Senators.

Each was an affordable left-shot option to play on New York’s third pair. Schmidt, 32, is far more experienced with 661 NHL games on his resume and could’ve played up in the lineup or on the right side if there was injury or other reasons to do so. Brannstrom is 24, with 266 games of NHL experience — a year older but with significantly more games played than Jones.

It’s unknown if the Rangers engaged with either free agent, or even someone like Adam Boqvist, the 23-year-old defenseman and former No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft who also signed with the Panthers. He was bought out by the Columbus Blue Jackets after another injury-marred season but is a slick offensive defenseman, who, like Jones, is still very young.

WATCH: Mollie Walker breaks down the Rangers 2024 offseason in Forever Blueshirts interview

Zac Jones expected to get Rangers opportunity next season

Instead of adding a defenseman, the Rangers are banking heavily on Jones to take the next step and finally become a mainstay on the third pair. While he showed signs of improvement when called on in limited action last season, he has never played in the capacity of a full 82-game season, plus Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Last season, Jones played an NHL career-high 31 games, had two goals and seven assists, and averaged 14:37 of ice time per game. He performed exceptionally well filling in when Adam Fox was injured early in the season and then again later in March when injuries kayoed Jacob Trouba, Ryan Lindgren and Gustafsson.

Leaving Jones with no competition would not benefit him nor his game. He needs at least one more player to compete with to ensure that he is really pushing for that sixth spot. That is what will benefit his game the most.

Another thing to consider is injury. If the Rangers lose just one defenseman, Harpur slots into the lineup. If they lose more, who comes next? Do the Rangers call up Connor Mackey or Matthew Robertson? As of right now, this is not a sustainable approach.

“They are so, so thin on D,” New York Post beat reporter Mollie Walker told Forever Blueshirts in a podcast interview this week. “The fact that they qualified Matthew Robertson is all you need to know about how thin they are at D. They don’t have a choice. The kid hasn’t even sniffed an NHL opportunity.”

The list of viable free-agent defenseman is very depleted, topped by Oliver Kylington who likely would be seeking a multi-year deal and more than a League minimum salary, plus a top-four role, after successfully returning from battling mental health issues.

So that means if Rangers general manager Chris Drury wants to provide some competition for Jones, it is going to have to be via a trade. As things stand, the Rangers have roughly $8.1 million in cap space, and still need to re-sign Lindgren, who filed for salary arbitration, and Braden Schneider.

With this in mind, and the rumors surrounding Trouba, the look of New York’s blue line is still very much unknown. While Jones is in a great spot, and primed to take the position of sixth defenseman, the Rangers still need more depth at the position.

That trio — and you can add defenseman Adam Fox to the mix — scored two goals combined, including one by Panarin in the final minutes of the decisive Game 6 loss.

The Rangers generated so little 5v5, with Zibanejad’s line featuring Kreider and a host of right wings struggling to get into the high-danger scoring areas.

And the Rangers defense allowed the Panthers to easily slip into the offensive zone, win puck battles, cause turnovers, produce high-danger looks and score just enough goals against Igor Shesterkin. Simply, the Blueshirts blueliners — which included the physically-challenged Jacob Trouba, Ryan Lindgren and Adam Fox — failed to meet the challenge of the Panthers speed and tenacious forecheck.

So, these issues at each end of the ice were exposed by the Panthers and to a lesser extent the Carolina Hurricanes, who took the Rangers to six games after dropping the first three in the second round. The Rangers lack of consistent offensive zone time resulted in five goals over the final three games against the Panthers, and the defense was on its heels most of the series.

With limited resources the Rangers acquired forward Reilly Smith in a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins last week to help up front, and appear to have settled on defenseman Zac Jones to step in and replace Erik Gustafsson on the back end next season. The Rangers also signed fourth-line center Sam Carrick on an affordable three-year, $3 million deal.

Instead of landing a big name like Jake Guentzel, who signed a seven-year, $63 million contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning, or even Tyler Toffoli or Patrick Kane, the Rangers had to swing the Smith trade since they were so close to the salary cap.

While Carrick can be viewed as a cheaper replacement for Barclay Goodrow, it should be noted that Goodrow played a big role in New York’s playoff success in 2024. Meanwhile, the Rangers are hoping Smith can solve the problem of a consistent right wing option for Kreider and Zibanejad.

On the surface it feels like it a low-risk move since the Rangers traded a conditional fifth-round pick in 2025 and a 2027 second-round pick.

It also feels like a move where the Rangers may be too late. Smith was available for two draft picks because of diminished value after dropping to 13 goals and 40 points in Pittsburgh last season.

If the 33-year-old was acquired after scoring an NHL career-high 27 goals in 2019-20 in his age-28 season, it might feel like a flashier move. But deeper numbers show a player possibly on the decline, despite helping the Vegas Golden Knights win the Stanley Cup in 2023. Smith’s shooting percentage was a career-low 8.6 percent last season and the fact that the Penguins performed better at 5-on-5 when he was not on the ice isn’t an encouraging sign.

Despite those lack of encouraging numbers, the fact the Rangers are not taking on much salary helps and Smith does have that Stanley Cup pedigree. He’s also on the books for only one more season, so there’s no long-term commitment and Smith could be motivated playing for a new contract as a pending unrestricted free agent.

The Rangers will find out in a few months if they did enough to spur the top-six forward group but right now it feels like the Rangers are only marginally better with Smith instead of the departed Jack Roslovic.

Related: What we learned about Rangers in first week of NHL free agency

Rangers look to Zac Jones to join top six in defense corps

The Rangers were a few steps too slow too many times when the Panthers entered the offensive zone with ease and often moved the puck around without difficulty in the conference final.

It was never more noticeable than when Sam Bennett easily eluded Trouba’s hit attempt at the blue line and skated in to the Rangers zone to score the first goal in the final minute of the first period in Game 6 of the conference final.

Trouba later revealed he broke his ankle in March and he could’ve been compromised after missing 11 games. The injury slowed him down significantly and he was a minus-2 against the Panthers.

After being unable to trade him, the Rangers appear set to run it back with Trouba and are banking on Jones to be a capable replacement for Erik Gustafson, who signed with the Detroit Red Wings.

So far, Jones has appeared in 69 regular-season NHL games, including 31 last season. The Rangers were 21-9-1 with Jones in the lineup and are 36-19-3 with him in the lineup in the past three seasons.

Barring any trade, Jones appears to be on the verge of getting his most consistent opportunity since the Rangers made him their third-round pick in the 2019 draft.

Jones should slot in on the bottom pair with either Trouba or Braden Schneider, and receive some power-play time on the second unit.

In his limited NHL exposure, Jones has three goals and 14 assists and is a minus-10, though he was a plus-1 last season. He has averaged 15 minutes per game, which is on par for someone on the third pairing.

He was solid in March, playing regularly when Trouba, Lindgren and Gustafsson all sustained injuries.

Jones moves the puck quickly and decisively, something the Rangers struggled to do against the Panthers. Though he’s a good skater, Jones is not big (5-foot-10, 176 pounds) and it’s fair to question how he would’ve handled the heavy Panthers forecheck this past spring.

By comparison, the bigger (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) and more experienced Gustafsson had major issues in his own end against the Panthers. So, it’s worth wondering if the Rangers would consider having Jones share time in the lineup with big (6-6, 230) veteran Ben Harpur, who could be a 6th/7th defenseman on the roster this season.

The majority of the playing time should fall to Jones, though, and the Rangers can decide exactly what they have in the 23-year-old. If there are any issues, the Blueshirts could always rectify the situation ahead of the 2025 trade deadline.

When compared to the Jacob Trouba trade/no trade saga or the quest to find a right wing to play with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, these other question marks at the bottom of the defense corps are relatively minor.

In fact, when considering just their group of defensemen, the Trouba situation is at the top of Rangers concerns. That’s followed by working out a contract with restricted free agent defenseman Ryan Lindgren, who filed for salary arbitration Friday. Next on the list is hammering out an easier deal with restricted free agent defenseman Braden Schneider, who should land an affordable bridge contract.

Then there’s filling Gustafsson’s spot in the lineup on the third pair and on the roster. Though it was pretty much a given that the Rangers would let Gustafsson walk after this past season, it should be noted that the Rangers got their money’s worth out of the 32-year-old.

Gustafsson signed a one-year contract last offseason to reunite with his former coach Peter Laviolette, this time in New York. At $825,00, Gustafsson had 31 points (six goals, 25 assists) averaging 17:23 in ice time over 76 regular-season games last season. He then played all 16 games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and had three assists.

Erik Gustafsson makes it two ✌️ pic.twitter.com/J2IQR3R2tn

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 12, 2024

There’s no doubt his production slipped as the season progressed. In fact, Gustafsson was at his best when he moved up the lineup to replace the injured Adam Fox for 10 games in November. He had 11 points (one goal, 10 assists) in those 10 games, playing on the top pair and No. 1 power-play unit.

Still, Gustafsson was a solid value signing for New York.

But it’d appear the Rangers had an in-house candidate in mind to replace him on the bottom pair next season, though his roster spot will be up for grabs at training camp.

Related: Former Rangers forwards reunite with Red Wings

Rangers options to replace Erik Gustafsson after defenseman signs with Red Wings

Let’s take a look at how the Rangers can replace Gustafsson in the lineup and on the roster in 2024-25.

Zac Jones

The Rangers have a young third-pair option in place to take Gustafsson’s lineup spot next season. Zac Jones appears ready for the opportunity and certainly is champing at the bit for consistent playing time.

The 23-year-old did play in an NHL career-high 31 games last season, spending the entire year on the Rangers roster. He played well early in the season when Fox missed 10 games but really excelled in March when his playing time spiked when Trouba, Lindgren and Gustafsson were injured.

Jones is not big (5-foot-10, 176 pounds) but he moves the puck quickly and efficiently, and is a smart player. He had two goals and nine points in 2023-24 and would appear to have much more upside offensively.

The youngster needs work in the defensive end and it’s fair to question how he would’ve handled the heavy forecheck from the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final, for example.

But he’s the clear favorite to replace Gustafsson in the lineup and get his first opportunity for consistent playing time in the NHL. Especially after the Rangers did not sign an affordable, more experienced defenseman (Nate Schmidt, Erik Brannstrom for example) to compete with Jones for playing time in camp and once the season starts.

Ben Harpur

It’s easy to forget that Ben Harpur remains in the Rangers organization after the veteran defenseman missed most of last season with a pectoral injury that required surgery in November.

The 29-year-old has one season remaining on his contract with a salary-cap hit of only $787,500. So, that right away makes him an intriguing fit to fill the 6th/7th defenseman role in New York. Plus his size (6-foot-6, 230 pounds) and experience (198 NHL games) makes him an option to battle Jones for playing time.

There is a world where Jones and Harpur make the Rangers out of camp, with the youngster getting more playing time and Harpur stepping in as needed, particularly against more rugged opposition.

Harpur played 42 games for the Rangers in 2022-23 and held his own playing regularly from mid-December on, especially when Lindgren was sidelined for an extended stretch with an upper-body injury. He doesn’t do anything fancy but a healthy Harpur could capably fill the 6th/7th defenseman role next season.

Casey Fitzgerald

The Rangers did sign one free-agent defenseman so far this summer. Casey Fitzgerald comes to New York on a two-year contract that carries a $775,000 cap hit. The 27-year-old also brings 63 games of NHL experience with the Buffalo Sabres and Panthers, and did play two games for Florida during the 2022-23 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

#NYR have agreed to terms with defenseman Casey Fitzgerald on a two-year contract and with forward Bo Groulx on a one-year deal.

Full details: https://t.co/i2WQ2apLlI pic.twitter.com/XNcS8yKrU4

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) July 2, 2024

The son of New Jersey Devils general manager, and former NHL forward, Tom Fitzgerald isn’t big (5-foot-11, 183 pounds) and is a right shot, so he might not be the perfect fit for the 6th/7th role. But he was signed to compete for that spot, so this will be an important training camp for him.

At worst, the Rangers added a good defenseman that can lead youngsters like Victor Mancini and Matthew Robertson at Hartford in the American Hockey League.

Connor Mackey and Brandon Scanlin

Grouping Connor Mackey and Brandon Scanlin makes sense since each played one game for the Rangers last season and also were important defensemen in Hartford.

Mackey is older (27 to 25) and has 40 games of NHL experience with the Calgary Flames, Arizona Coyotes and Rangers. Scanlin made his NHL debut with the Rangers on March 26 against the Philadelphia Flyers and was solid in Hartford, with 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) and a plus-4 in 64 games.

Connor Mackey vs Brady Tkachuk from the New York Rangers at Ottawa Senators game on Jan 27, 2024https://t.co/eYzJRkDcL0

— HockeyFights.com (@hockeyfights) January 28, 2024

Each defenseman is big — Mackey is 6-foot-3, 204 pounds and Scanlin is 6-4, 218 — and a left shot, making them good fits behind Jones. It would likely take a lot to happen for one of these blueliners to crack the opening-night roster with the Blueshirts, but they’ll be in the mix during training camp.

Adam Boqvist

Adam Boqvist remains an unrestricted free agent after the Columbus Blue Jackets didn’t extend him a qualifying offer. The 23-year-old has 209 games of NHL experience and was the No. 8 overall pick in the 2018 draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.

The rub here is that Boqvist always seems to be injured, including last season when he was limited to 35 games. But he has skill, producing 22 points in 52 games in the 2021-22 season and 24 points in 46 games the following season.

He’s a right-hand shot but could be worth taking a flyer on if the Rangers are convinced he’s healthy and would sign a contract under $1 million for next season.

Wennberg is a nice complementary player, a third-line center with the Blueshirts after being acquired from the Seattle Kraken before the 2024 NHL trade deadline. He plays smart and hard, and his professionalism will rub off on the Sharks youngsters, notably No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini.

So, there is reason to like this signing for San Jose.

But at $5 million per season?

He’s topped 13 goals once (17 in 2020-21 with the Florida Panthers) in 10 NHL seasons, and showed zero scoring touch in 35 games with the Rangers (19 regular-season games, 16 postseason games) when he scored once on an actual shot and then once in overtime of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final when he went to the crease and the puck deflected off his chest and into the net.

He’s been give top-six minutes throughout his career and never done much with it. And he’s abysmal in the face-off circle, never winning at least 50 percent of his draws in a season. In 712 NHL games, Wennberg has a 46.2 percent face-off winning percentage.

His previous contract had a $4.5 million AAV, so, at 29, you can argue the veteran should get a raise. But really, based on what? By comparison, Reilly Smith, a Stanley Cup champion who’s thrived in the postseason throughout his career and has five 20-goal seasons and whom the Rangers acquired in a trade Monday, makes $5 million a season. a contract he signed two years ago at age 31.

Nonetheless, a good day for the Wennberg family, and for Barclay Goodrow, another former Rangers forward who’ll now have a familiar face to connect with in San Jose this season.

Related: Have Rangers found Barclay Goodrow replacement in NHL free agency?

Patrick Kane, Erik Gustafsson among former Rangers to sign contracts in free agency

Wennberg wasn’t the only former Rangers player to land on his feet when free agency started Monday.

Future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane never made it to the open market. The three-time Stanley Cup champion re-signed with the Detroit Red Wings on a one-year, $4 million contract with $2.5 million in bonuses. He reportedly had interest in a Rangers reunion, after playing with them after the 2023 trade deadline when he was hobbled by a hip injury that required surgery. But the Red Wings signed Kane before the Rangers had a chance to negotiate with him.

Erik Gustafsson will join Kane in Detroit after agreeing to a two-year, $4 million contract. The 32-year-old defenseman was a regular on the Rangers third pair this past season and moved up when Adam Fox missed 10 games in November with a knee injury. Gustafsson finished with 31 points (six goals, 25 assists) in his only season wearing the Blueshirt.

Another former Rangers player also signed with the Red Wings on Monday. Veteran goalie Cam Talbot, an NHL All-Star with the Los Angeles Kings last season, signed a two-year deal to play for his seventh team since the start of the 2018-19 season.

Reilly Smith’s brother, former Rangers defenseman Brendan Smith, left the New Jersey Devils to sign a one-year deal with the Dallas Stars.

Closer to home, former Rangers forward Anthony Duclair inked a four-year contract with the Islanders.

In all likelihood, the Rangers defensive corps will look a tad different next season with Erik Gustafsson due to hit the open market on July 1 and Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider needing RFA deals. All signs point to Gustafsson signing elsewhere and Schneider getting a bridge deal. Lindgren is more up in the air, seeking a pay raise from his $3 million average annual value, plus long-term security since he can become an unrestricted free agent after the 2024-25 season.

Zac Jones impressed in an NHL career-high 31 games this past season and could slide in on the third pairing. But even then, the Rangers need to add a 6th/7th defenseman since Ben Harpur is the only other veteran option in the system, currently with the Hartford Wolf Pack.

The dynamics and free-agent targets change if Drury elects to buy out captain Jacob Trouba, a move that would shock the locker room but free up some cap space, and require the Rangers to seek an upgrade.

The Rangers enter this offseason with $12.45 million in projected cap space after NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced that the salary cap is going up to $88 million next season. It’s by no means a lost of space, but there’s enough flexibility to make a valuable add or two on the backend.

That said, let’s examine the two tiers of defensemen the Rangers could consider signing this offseason.

Related: 2023-24 Rangers report cards: Grading the defensemen

Rangers could pursue these free agents to be 6th/7th defenseman

Here are some defensemen that could replace Gustafsson as a 6th/7th defenseman, listed in alphabetical order.

Sebastian Aho

The “other” Sebastian Aho is set to become a free agent at the conclusion of his second two-year UFA deal with the New York Islanders.

He’s spent the entirety of his five-year NHL career on Long Island, serving mostly as a bottom-pairing blue-liner and seventh defenseman.

It was not a pretty season for the 28-year-old, who posted nine points and a minus-7 mark in 58 games, all while grading out very poorly, ranking in the eighth percentile overall (per Evolving Hockey). However, he was very strong the season prior, putting up 23 points in 71 games and ranking in the 87th percentile defensively.

Aho hit the cap at an $825,000 average annual value the past two seasons, the highest mark of his career. Coming off a rough season, he can’t expect much of a raise.

He’s not someone you dream about in your top-six, but Aho’s NHL experience (190 games) and the hope of rekindling his performance from a very positive 2022-23 season would make him a decent seventh defenseman at a price that likely sits close to the League minimum.

Calvin De Haan

Calvin De Haan served a similar role to what the Rangers might be looking for with the Tampa Bay Lightning this past season.

As a depth defenseman, De Haan appeared in 59 games and had 10 points and a minus-9 rating on 16:38 ATOI. He found himself out of the rotation toward the end of the season, playing just one game in the Lightning’s five-game loss to the Florida Panthers in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and logging just two regular-season games in April.

However, De Haan graded out fairly well in the Evolving Hockey charts, ranking in the 75th percentile defensively and eating up important minutes for a Lightning defense unit that lost Mikhail Sergachev for two-and-a-half months after a nasty lower-body injury.

De Haan is entering his age-33 season, and while no longer the same player he was in his prime when he averaged at least 18:30 per game from age 22 to age 30, he’s an experienced NHLer with 632 NHL games played and the ability to give a solid look on the bottom pairing.

Again, Jones is probably the more exciting option to play regularly, but someone like De Haan would provide an adequate safety blanket as a trustworthy defensive fill-in. He signed a one-year, $775,000 UFA deal with Tampa Bay last offseason and a similar contract would easily fit with the New York’s current cap situation.

Mark Giordano

The prospect of signing former NHL All-Star Mark Giordano, who will turn 41 next season, seems a bit out of left field. It’s not even a guarantee he will return to play another season.

However, there are parallels between this and the Rangers signing of Blake Wheeler last offseason to a League-minimum contract. Granted, Wheeler, a forwards was 37 at the time and coming off a solid 55-point season.

That aside, it’s clear Drury values experience and leadership in the locker room. Jonathan Quick ended up being a very savvy pickup, playing well above expectations. Both he and Wheeler were brought in as former top players in the League who could add elements of leadership and wisdom to the room.

Serving nine seasons as a captain, eight of which came with the Calgary Flames with whom he won the Mark Messier Leadership Award during the 2019-20 season, Giordano is widely respected throughout the League.

His play has been equally respectable, even as he continues to age. A broken finger and concussion limited him to 46 games this season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he managed nine points and a plus-10 rating. He averaged 16:37 minutes in ice time per game, and Evolving Hockey graded him above average defensively in the 63rd percentile.

He’s no longer the offensive threat who scored 79 points and won the Norris Trophy in 2018-19, but he’s still a serviceable defenseman who could play a similar locker room role to what Wheeler and Quick did this past season.

Giordano’s hit the cap at an $800,000 AAV on his most recent two-year deal, so if he does indeed return for his 19th NHL season, it would likely be at a similar salary.

Kevin Shattenkirk

Kevin Shattenkirk spent two disappointing seasons with the rebuilding Blueshirts from 2017 to 2019, but has largely been a solid offensive defenseman in the NHL. He most recently landed with the Boston Bruins, joining his seventh different franchise, on a one-year, $1.05 million deal.

Shattenkirk’s set to be a UFA again after scoring six goals and 24 points in 61 games. Of the four names listed here as bottom-pairing options, he has by far the most offensive upside, as he’s posted 20-plus points in 13 of his 14 NHL seasons.

He’s not super impressive on the defensive end, but his 80th-percentile offensive ranking is well above average for a blue-liner.

Shattenkirk is a bit more expensive than the previous defensemen mentioned in this tier, and the only one who’s a right-shot, who’d likely be asked to play the left side more often than not. That coupled with some subpar defensive play doesn’t make him the most appealing option for a sixth/seventh defenseman, but it would provide the Rangers with another offensive option and candidate for power-play quarterback, not unlike the role Gustafsson served this past season.

Rangers options in free agency if Jacob Trouba’s contract is bought out

The options get a bit more exciting if the Rangers buy out Trouba. Keep in mind, a buyout doesn’t take all of Trouba’s $8 million AAV off the books. There would be $4 million in dead cap over the next two seasons and $2 million for the two after.

Still, that’s an extra $4 million to play with on top of the $12.45 in projected cap space, which would allow Drury to search for someone capable of playing in the top four with a maximum of $4-5 million AAV.

Given the benefit of that extra cushion, there are a few enticing names Drury could pursue, listed in alphabetical order.

Alexandre Carrier

Alexandre Carrier re-upped with the Nashville Predators last offseason on a one-year, $2.5 million UFA deal. After another very solid season and helping the Predators reach the postseason, he’s due for another deal and probably a bit of a pay raise.

Carrier and Jeremy Lauzon played the most minutes (78.2) of any D-pairing during Nashville’s first-round loss to the Vancouver Canucks in six games. Carrier himself posted the third-highest ATOI of the blue-liners, behind Roman Josi and Ryan McDonagh.

Carrier had 20 points and was plus-7, averaging 18:38 TOI while ranking 87th in defensive percentile during the regular season. He’s also right-shot D which would allow him to replace Trouba’s spot in the defensive corp. Carrier is also three years younger than Trouba, and like the Rangers captain, is more than willing to block shots in front of his goalie (137 this season).

While he’s due for a bump up in salary, it should still be something in the Rangers range if Trouba is bought out.

Shayne Gostisbehere

Shayne Gostisbehere is a prolific offensive defenseman who will once again be looking for a UFA deal after settling for a one-year, $4.1 million contract with the Detroit Red Wings last offseason.

A left-shot defenseman who can play the right side, something he did for nearly 100 minutes with the Red Wings this season, Gostisbehere is a player that’s been linked to the Rangers previously.

With such little cap space last offseason, the idea of signing him was barely a thought. Now with more flexibility this offseason and help from a hypothetical Trouba buyout, Drury could potentially fit this dynamic blue-liner under the cap.

Gostisbehere scored 10 goals and 56 points, his second 50-plus point season in the past three, and the second-highest point total of his career behind a 65-point output with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2017-2018.

Similar to the Shattenkirk conversation, Gostisbehere’s defensive metrics leave something to be desired, ranking below average in the 34th percentile over the past three-year span. With Adam Fox and K’Andre Miller already on the backend, it doesn’t feel like there’s as much of a need for a player like Gostisbehere as there once was, but he’d certainly add juice to the Blueshirts attack.

Let’s examine the play of the seven defensemen that were on the Blueshirts roster all season.

Related: Rangers 2023-24 report cards: Grading the goalies

Grading Rangers defensemen in 2023-24 regular season and playoffs

Each defensemen (listed alphabetically) received a separate grade for the regular season and postseason.

Note: Chad Ruhwedel, Connor Mackey and Brandon Scanlin did not play enough games with the Rangers to be graded.

Adam Fox

Regular season: A-

Playoffs: B-

Though he missed 10 games after sustaining an injury following a knee-on-knee hit from Carolina Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho on Nov. 2, Adam Fox still scored an NHL career-high 17 goals and was in the conversation to be a finalist for the Norris Trophy, though he ended up just outside the top 3 in voting as the best defensemen in the NHL. He also averaged a point per game (73 points in 72 games) and surpassed 70 points for a third straight season.

As his stats indicate, Fox was remarkably consistent all season. He excelled in all game situations, led the Rangers in average ice time per game (23:27) and had solid metrics. Simply, he was, as expected, New York’s best all-around defenseman.

In the playoffs, though, Fox wasn’t nearly the same difference maker as he was in the regular season. He had a four-game point streak early on, but went five straight games without a point afterward. He aggravated the knee injury after being on the receiving end of another knee-on-knee hit from Washington Capitals defenseman Nick Jensen in Game 4 of the first round and that clearly compromised him.

Like the other defensemen, his 5v5 metrics were not great, though Fox was the only one for more goals for than against (10-7) in those situations. Still, his production was disappointing in the playoffs, just eight assists in 16 games, and no goals for the second consecutive postseason.

Erik Gustafsson

Regular season: B

Playoffs: C-

When you consider Erik Gustafsson was paid only $825,000 this season, you realize that he was a steal, an incredible bargain. The 32-year-old played 76 regular-season games and all 16 in the playoffs, mainly on the third pairing and second power-play unit. He stepped in and up nicely when Fox was hurt in November, playing his best hockey of the season. He had 15 points by Nov. 27, but just 16 the rest of the season, though, as his production tailed off considerably.

Gustafsson had the best 5v5 scoring chances for percentage of all Rangers defensemen (54.78 percent) and was largely not the defensive liability he’d been much of his NHL career.

In the playoffs, Gustafsson managed three assists and did not score a goal. Though not a great number, his scoring chances for percentage 5v5 (44.64) was second best among Rangers defensemen, behind Fox (48.29). Like the others, though, he spent far too much time chasing and failing to win puck battles. He also didn’t record a point in the final eight postseason games.

Zac Jones

Regular season: B

Playoffs: N/A

There are a lot of teams that’d be quite happy to have Zac Jones as their seventh defenseman. The 24-year-old got into an NHL career-high 31 games and was solid, if unspectacular, especially when filling in during a rash of injuries in March to Jacob Trouba, Ryan Lindgren and Gustafsson. He also stepped into the third pairing in November when Gustafsson moved up into the injured Fox’s spot.

Jones scored two goals, had seven assists and often moved the puck quickly and confidently out of his end of the ice. He had a memorable two-point game in Ottawa against the Senators on Jan. 27 and a big goal in a wild win on the road against the Arizona Coyotes late in the season. On the downside, Jones was on for more goals against than for 5v5 (22-19).

The youngster didn’t get into any postseason games, despite some calls for him to replace Trouba and/or Gustafsson. He’s in line to battle for a spot on the third pair next season, though.

Ryan Lindgren

Regular season: B

Playoffs: C

You know what you’re getting with Ryan Lindgren: a hard-nosed warrior, outstanding penalty killer and stay-at-home complement to his partner Fox. By and large, that’s what the Rangers got out of Lindgren this season, when he led the Rangers with a plus-22 and added 114 hits and 104 blocked shots. He also scored three goals and totaled 17 points, in line with his usual numbers.

For the second time in three seasons, Lindgren remained largely healthy, playing 76 games, which was a big plus. However, his xGF percentage was worst of the seven defensemen (45.02 percent) as was his scoring chances for percentage (47.7 percent).

Those trends continued and got worse in the playoffs. Especially against the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final, Lindgren was often trapped in his own end. The Rangers were outshot 149-87 5v5 with Lindgren on the ice and the high-danger chances were 67-31, each worst among Rangers defensemen. He did play with a cracked rib in the conference final, so that might be part of the reason why he struggled so much, as could playing alongside a hobbled Fox. To his credit, Lindgren had two clutch assists among his three playoff points, one on Chris Kreider’s series-winning goal against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 6 of the second round and the other on Alex Wennberg’s Game 3 overtime winner in the conference final.

K’Andre Miller

Regular season: B

Playoffs: C

K’Andre Miller was second among all Rangers in average ice time in the regular season (21:33) and was a constant on the second pairing, typically with Trouba, and later in the season with Braden Schneider. His point production fell from an NHL career-high 43 points last season to 30 this season and the Rangers were outscored 5v5 68-56 with him on the ice.

Still there’s lots to like about his game, though it’d be nice to see more physicality than he showed this season. It feels like there’s more there to his game, but he was a solid second-pairing defenseman this season.

The playoffs did not go well for the 24-year-old, perhaps, in part, because he played often with the struggling Trouba. But among all NHL defensemen who played in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, none had a worse on-ice expected goals of minus-8.58. Sounds like someone who owes Igor Shesterkin a steak dinner or two. He did have a clutch shorthanded goal in Game 2 against the Capitals, though, so that was more than most Rangers defensemen can say about their offensive play in the postseason.

Braden Schneider

Regular season: B

Playoffs: C+

Braden Schneider flies under the radar a bit on the Rangers defense corps, but the 22-year-old is making the case to be a long-term staple on the blue line with his consistent play and nice upside. He scored five goals and had an NHL career-high 19 points, each of which feel like it’s just scratching the surface. He was second on the Rangers with 133 blocked shots and second among defensemen with 167 hits.

Late in the season, he swapped spots with Trouba and was an excellent fit on the second pairing with Miller. That happened again in the playoffs, and would appear to be the plan next season. Schneider didn’t shrink with increased responsibility and you have to keep reminding yourself he’s only 22.

Schneider stood his ground in the playoffs, but did struggle against the relentless Panthers pressure, so there’s still much room for improvement. He had two assists in 16 playoff games and spent far more time defending than creating offensively.

Jacob Trouba

Regular season: B-

Playoffs: C-

There was a lot of all-or-nothing in Jacob Trouba’s game. Massive hits, game-altering physicality, as well as bad penalties and poor decision making. The Rangers captain is a well-respected leader on and off the ice, a warrior like Lindgren. He had 22 points in 69 regular-season games but wasn’t quite the same after breaking his ankle in March. He finished with a team-high 183 blocked shots and led the defensemen with 191 hits.

The 30-year-old has two years remaining on his outsized contract, which has an * million average annual value. Therein lies the rub with Trouba. He’d be a solid player at, say, $5 million per. But at $8 million, there’s a lot to pick apart with his game.

Trouba was second among Rangers defensemen with seven postseason points, including a shorthanded goal in Game 5 against the Hurricanes that showcased some terrific play in his own end, capped by a nasty tracer off the rush. He also led New York with 11 minor penalties and 22 penalty minutes, and his poor decision led directly to Sam Bennett’s 1-0 goal in the decisive Game 6 of the conference final.