Rangers Need Gustafsson to Step Up with Fox Out

Gustafsson earned a spot in the lineup to start the season and he has made the most of his opportunity on the Rangers’ third defense pair. However, with star defenseman Adam Fox out injured, Gustafsson will play a much bigger role and the team is relying on him to rise to the occasion.

Gustafsson’s Offensive Upside

Though the Edmonton Oilers drafted Gustafsson in the fourth round of the 2012 NHL Draft, he made his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2015-16 season. He spent the entire 2016-17 season and part of 2017-18 with the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League (AHL) before breaking out with the Blackhawks in 2018-19.

In 2018-19, Gustafsson established himself as a top-four defenseman, averaged 22:35 in ice time per game, played well on the power play, and finished with 17 goals and 43 assists in 79 games. He proved to be an excellent playmaker and showed a knack for getting shots from the point through traffic and on goal. He took some risks defensively but consistently generated offense and finished with 13 goals and 29 assists at even strength.

Gustafsson failed to produce the same impressive numbers offensively in his next few seasons and his ice time decreased. He bounced around, playing for six teams from 2019-20 to 2022-23, and spent the majority of the time as a bottom pair defenseman.

Last season Gustafsson played well with the Washington Capitals under head coach Peter Laviolette and he stepped up when star defenseman John Carlson missed three months with an injury. Gustafsson became a steady contributor both on the power play and at even strength. The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired him at the trade deadline and combined with both teams, he had seven goals and 35 assists in 70 games while averaging just under 20 minutes in ice time per game. An upper-body injury forced him to miss time late in the season and he only played in two playoff games, scoring one goal.

Gustafsson’s Role With the Rangers

The Rangers signed Gustafsson to a one-year, $825,000 contract this offseason. He played well during training camp and in the preseason and beat out Zac Jones for a starting spot on the team’s third defense pair.

Gustafsson began the season on the Rangers’ third defense pair and second power-play unit. He made an instant impact with a goal and an assist in a 5-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 14. He also made a few important defensive plays with his partner Braden Schneider caught in the offensive zone in the team’s first few games.

Though Gustafsson averaged just under 18 minutes of ice time in the Rangers’ first 10 games, he made a positive impact as he generated offense without making too many defensive mistakes. He also had a goal and an assist in the Rangers’ 3-1 win over the Calgary Flames on Oct. 24.

In Gustafsson’s first game without Fox in the lineup, he produced a goal and an assist in the Rangers’ 5-4 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 4. He now has three goals and three assists in 11 games. Though he is left-handed, he played on the right side with lefty Ryan Lindgren in the game, and he also replaced Fox on the first power play unit.

The Rangers’ first game without Fox was a disappointing one as they were dominated by the Wild but managed to steal a point thanks to the excellent play of Quick in goal. In addition to missing their star defenseman, Filip Chytil is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury and Igor Shesterkin also missed the game with an injury.

For Gustafsson and the Rangers Moving Forward

While it is unfair to expect Gustafsson (or anyone else) to replace Fox, the Rangers are relying on him to step into a top-four role and keep the team’s excellent top power play unit running smoothly. He is surrounded by talent on the power play and Lindgren is a reliable partner at even strength.

The Rangers need Gustafsson to make intelligent plays at even strength while continuing to give the team an offensive boost. They are asking a lot of him, but he has the tools and talent around him to help the team continue to get points while Fox is out.