Ex-Rangers defenseman returns for Red Wings after rocky start with new team

When the New York Rangers defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 at Madison Square Garden on Monday, they played against five of their former teammates, including Cam Talbot who was the backup goalie. But the Red Wings player who most recently played for the Rangers was not in uniform Monday.

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.

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.

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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.

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