When three rookies made the Detroit Red Wings’ opening night roster, it meant that a pair of players needed to be moved to the American Hockey League (AHL) to make room on the roster. After passing through waivers, defensemen Erik Gustafsson and Justin Holl were the ones assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate.
Since then, both Gustafsson and Holl have played in three of the Griffins’ first four games of the season. They both played in at least 60 games with the Red Wings last season, and bring a wealth of NHL experience to the Griffins’ lineup. That’s not the only reason their presence will be appreciated in the Griffins’ locker room though – at least for as long as they are in Grand Rapids.
Gustafsson Boosts the Offense
Prior to joining the Red Wings as a free agent in the summer of 2024, he bounced around the NHL, playing games for the Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens, Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs and the New York Rangers. Aside from the 273 games he has played as a member of the Blackhawks, he has never played more than 76 games for one franchise, so perhaps it is no surprise he finds himself on the outside looking in in Detroit.
Gustafsson’s first few games with the Griffins were his first games in the AHL since the 2017-18 season back when he was still a newer name in the Blackhawks organization. Not many people expected that he would be left off the NHL roster, and there seems to be a sentiment across the league that he still belongs on one.
While that speaks to an understandably frustrating situation for the 33-year-old veteran, the Griffins will reap the rewards of the Red Wings’ newfound depth on the blue line.
Gustafsson made a name for himself in the NHL with his offensive capabilities, especially on the power play. He saw time on both of the Red Wings’ power play units last season and accrued nine power play points, half of his overall point total (18). He moves the puck well and is generally aware of where his teammates are in the offensive zone.
Gustafsson will provide an offensive spark for the Griffins on the back end. Two seasons ago, Simon Edvinsson was the go-to guy on the back end in terms of creating offense. Now Gustafsson takes on that role, and the young defensemen in Grand Rapids will have front row seats to observe how he’s produced nearly half-a-point per-game throughout his NHL career.
Players like William Wallinder and Shai Buium will benefit from seeing what Gustafsson can do on the ice as well as having him as a resource in the locker room. The veteran has over 500 games of NHL experience and is obviously well-traveled. He’s been in all sorts of scenarios at the pro level, and that experience can do wonders for his younger teammates – just look at how Lucas Raymond blossomed after Patrick Kane became his teammate in Detroit.
If Gustafsson can be an offensive catalyst for the Griffins while also teaching the organization’s young defensemen how to create offense more consistently, the Red Wings will be pleased with his time in Grand Rapids.
Holl a Big Locker Room Guy
Now in his third year in the Red Wings organization, this is the second time Holl has been assigned to the AHL. He began last season by being assigned to Grand Rapids before he was almost immediately called right back up to Detroit; though it was clear he was on the roster bubble, he never actually played a game with the Griffins last season.
It appears that Holl will actually get the chance to experience all that west Michigan has to offer this season. In the final year of the three-year contract he signed with the Red Wings in the summer of 2023, he is getting paid $3.4 million this season to essentially help fill out the right side of the Griffins’ blue line while also being another source of veteran knowledge for the organization’s young defensemen.
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Unlike Gustafsson, Holl doesn’t necessarily have a skillset that gives him a specific role. Going back to his time with the Maple Leafs, he mostly was a guy that “rode shotgun” with Morgan Rielly, Toronto’s top defenseman. Through his first two seasons in Detroit, he averaged 14:53 in ice-time and was mostly tasked with being a “net-zero” third pairing defenseman.
Holl plays with energy and, by all accounts, is a fun guy to have in the locker room. At 33 years of age, he and Gustafsson join Dominik Shine and Austin Watson as team leaders and, essentially, team “dads” for the Griffins this season. Whether he is paired up with Wallinder, Buium, Gustafsson or Jacob Truscott, Holl’s main objective will be to allow his partner to shine, similarly to his time in Toronto.
It may not be exactly what Holl envisioned when he signed with the Red Wings, but he is arguably more valuable to the organization this season than he was last season. If he can help raise the bar for Griffins defensemen this season, it will go a long way towards the team’s goal of competing for a Calder Cup championship. He also helps fill the hole on the right side of the blue line that was originally earmarked for Axel Sandin Pellikka.
Trade Talk
Make no mistake about it, all of the Red Wings’ “extra” skaters are available in the trade market. Detroit has gauged interest in Holl in the past, and it appears some teams are already doing their homework on Gustafsson. Both defenders are getting paid NHL-level salaries, and both have hundreds of games of NHL experience under their belts – if nothing else, there is value in both of those items for young, inexpensive teams like the San Jose Sharks.
While Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman generally tries to do right by his players, there is an interesting balance he needs to strike over the next month or two. The blue line in Detroit is the youngest it has been in years, and their sole extra defenseman is Travis Hamonic, a 35-year-old defender whose best days are clearly behind him. A young guy like Wallinder could absolutely get a call-up in the event of an injury, but it is a nice luxury to be able to call up a guy like Gustafsson or Holl in those situations.
Ultimately, it should come as no surprise if Gustafsson and/or Holl’s time in Grand Rapids is cut short due to a trade. Both are capable NHL defensemen in the right role, and while neither of them would fetch a premium asset in return, it wouldn’t hurt the Red Wings if they turn some of their depth into a draft pick, especially given the results of their drafting.
That is why the Griffins shouldn’t and won’t take Gustafsson and Holl for granted while they have them. They are both in the final year of their contracts, and you have to assume both will pursue opportunities with a clear path to NHL minutes.
This is an opportunity for the Griffins’ young defensemen to see how NHL defensemen prepare and take care of themselves on a daily basis. It’s an opportunity to pick their brains and learn things that they have picked up over their years in the NHL. Perhaps most importantly, it’s an opportunity for the young guys to play the game with NHL veterans without the pressure of NHL expectations.
No matter how long or how short their time in Grand Rapids is, Gustafsson and Holl have an opportunity to leave their mark on the Griffins and the Red Wings organization as a whole. They seem to be embracing that opportunity early on, and that’s the most beneficial situation for all parties.
With that being said, if you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of Gustafsson and Holl in a Griffins uniform, you may want to go sooner rather than later.
