Erik Gustafsson has been productive, but New York was a one-year stop
Since he debuted in the NHL for the 2015-16 season, Erik Gustafsson’s two-way game has been a staple. But he’s also been a journeyman over the past nine years, which explains his small, six-figure salary for one season.
Gustafsson has been the perfect stopgap for teams like the Rangers over the years, and that will continue next season when he’s playing in a different uniform. We won’t see him return to the Blueshirts next season, thanks to the younger rotation that is already in town. Adam Fox is the top player here, while Jacob Trouba has been a fixture in New York for five seasons now. The rest of the rotation, while young, has a bright future ahead of them.
K’Andre Miller’s two-way game wasn’t there for his first couple of seasons, but it’s shined since his breakout year in 2022-23. Miller won’t match his career-high of 43 points from a year ago, but he’s excelled in about any situation the Blueshirts put him in.
They also have younger options in Braden Schneider, Ryan Lindgren, and the up-and-coming Zachary Jones. This leaves players like Gustafsson and also Chad Ruhwdel free to head elsewhere after the season ends. Both players are serviceable enough to land on another contender or to take a veteran leadership role on a rebuilding team.