Detroit Red Wings
Gustafsson Talks About Demotion By Red Wings
Making the best out of the situation
When Erik Gustafsson signed as a UFA with the Detroit Red Wings in the summer of 2024, he was feeling a sense of comfort. He’d inked a two-year deal, meaning that he might be staying with the same team two years in a row for the first time in a decade.
“It was really fun to sign for two years,” Gustafsson told Johan Ericsson of Swedish website Expressen. “Higher salary and everything like that. Show that all the hard work you’ve put in has paid off.”
UPDATE: The #RedWings today signed defenseman Erik Gustafsson to a two-year contract with an AAV of $2M. pic.twitter.com/F8ccbgdiaf
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) July 1, 2024
Life has a way of throwing curves at a fellow, as Gustafsson knows all too well. Today, he finds himself demoted to the AHL for the first time since the 2017-18 season, playing for the Grand Rapids Griffins.
“It didn’t go so well last year at the beginning,” Gustafsson said of his Red Wings debut. “The coach (Derek Lalonde), who didn’t get along… Then it went better when the new coach (Todd McLellan) came in.
“But yeah… now we’re here. It’s been tough. It came as a shock.”
Gustafsson Commuting To GR
Gustafsson is maintaining his home in Detroit with his wife and children. He makes the two-hour commute to Grand Rapids and back each day.
No veteran NHLer is happy to be sent down to the minors. But Gustafsson brought the right approach to his demotion.
“If I go here and sulk, it won’t be good for me, and it won’t be good for the team,” Gustafsson said.
He also recognizes that things could be much more difficult with his family situation if he were playing for another NHL organization.
“Even though it’s tough to have four hours behind the wheel just to get to training, you have to think about what alleviates the situation,” Gustafsson said. “It could have been much worse.”
Gustafsson and his wife Hannah have three young daughters.
“I told my wife and family that it could have been in a completely different city,” Gustafsson said. “Then I would have had to fly there and stay in a hotel the whole time and not get to see the children.
“Now I can come home and visit them every day and pick them up from school and everything. I still get to be a part of their lives right now.”
Gustafsson Understands Why Red Wings Kept Sandin Pellikka
Veteran defensemen Gustafsson and Justin Holl were both given assignments to the AHL Griffins after clearing NHL waivers. Rookie Axel Sandin Pellikka, a 2023 first-round pick of the Red Wings, won a spot in training camp, making them expendable.
UPDATE: The #RedWings have activated James van Riemsdyk from non-roster and assigned Erik Gustafsson to the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. pic.twitter.com/wcRcuqHbP8
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) October 11, 2025
Gustafsson was impressed by the work of Sandin Pellikka during the NHL preseason.
“It’s great to see,” Gusatafsson said. “He’s doing a great job.
“A very skilled player, and he learned a lot during the camp. Calm with the puck, and good without it.”
He also understands how the business works and is aware that the Red Wings are shopping him to other NHL teams.
“I talk a lot with my agent (Craig Oster),” Gustafsson said. “I know that there are teams that want me. Then Detroit has to release me, too.
“So we’ll see what happens. But I know that there are other teams that want me.”
Don’t quite understand what he means when he says, “I know that there are teams that want me. Then Detroit has to release me, too”. He was on wavers, any other team could have got him for nothing but his salary.
He means the Wings would need to be willing to move him. They are, but they won’t give him away. One injury on the blueline in Detroit and Gustafsson will be needed.
Was he not placed on wavers. I always thought that any player placed on wavers could be picked up by another team for nothing. Just pay his salary ?
See my comment above. He and Holl make fairly big money, other teams prob want the Wings to pay part of their salaries to take them. Wait and see.
I see what your getting at.
A lot of teams at that time are also looking at youngsters and other fringe guys. It’s likely some teams have decided their kids weren’t quite ready or some player isn’t working out.
Its better to play than sit . By playing regularly teams can watch him. Part of the prob is his contract. I am betting Wings will maybe have to pay part of his salary to get a team to take him. All they get is a low round draft pick. Its the same with Holl. Holl has over 300 NHL games and Gus close to 700 NHL games. There are worse players than them.
9 games is the max an entry level contract player can play before needing to pass thru waivers, so it looks like ASP is staying for the season. I would think there’s no way they’d continue paying 5.4m (3.4 and 2) for Holl and Gustafsson in GR if they can help it. Would be nice if some team wanted Holl and they could keep Gustafsson around for insurance, (since He’s both better and cheaper). It’ll probably be the other way around. I’d be surprised if Gustafsson is not moved within the week.
I believe rookies on entry level contracts are exempt. Read this somewhere I believe
Actually its 10 games played and the entry level contract begins, that’s part of the reason MBN was sent down. He is not on waivers and can not be claimed by another team.
That only applies to junior players. He’s still in the pros, so the clock keeps ticking.
Gustafsson, you are an absolute pylon and I hope you stay a million miles away from the Red Wings
Not true at all. He has 700 NHL games on some good teams. He must have done something right.
Gustafsson comes across as a class act. Gustafsson’s family situation is something I believe Yzerman would take into consideration. If he wants to stay in GR and is a good insurance policy, why not keep him in the organization?
Hope things work out good for the guy. Probably being kept around in case of injury. Holl it’s not an option, bringing him back would not sit well with the fans. That move would signal they’re okay with going backwards.