The New York Rangers are faced with a limited cap space and are desperately in need of various roster changes. Gustafsson's current one-year contract worth $825,000 won't cut it as he's due for an obvious raise this season.
Throughout Gustafsson's NHL career he has shown great offensive prowess but as lacked inconsistency in his defensive play, which has led him to bounce between 7 different teams since making NHL debut in 2017-18.
However, since the 2020-21 season, the 32-year-old has recorded 17 goals, 103 total points, a +7 plus/minus rating, 181 hits, and 205 blocked shots across 234 games played.
According the Lyle Richardson of Bleacher Report, Gustafsson is expected to command a one or two-year contract worth up to $2.5 million AVV, definitely the right asking price for a player who offers a mix of veteran presence and offensive skill without breaking the bank, but just might of priced himself out of New York.