DETROIT >> Jonas Gustavsson is back in a familiar spot … injured reserve.
Gustavsson will be out “quite a while” after dislocating his left shoulder during the Wings’ 4-3 overtime loss Wednesday night to the New York Rangers.
“We know it’s dislocated because they had to pop it back in after the game last night,” Wings general manager Ken Holland said during a phone interview Thursday. “He’s going to have x-rays later today or (Friday). He’s out quite a while, we’re talking weeks. I don’t know how many. How severe is it? Does it need anymore more than time? I don’t know all that. Bottom line is he’s out quite a while. I just don’t have any timeframe.”
Gustavsson, who is no stranger to shoulder injuries, was injured reaching for a loose puck in overtime just as the Rangers’ Derick Brassard was firing it into the open net in overtime.
“I don’t know if he needs surgery or doesn’t need surgery,” Holland said. “I know it’s dislocated. He’s out for a significant period of time.”
The Wings recalled Petr Mrazek from Grand Rapids to replace Gustavsson.
“We feel fortunate we have the depth know in goal,” Holland said. “(Mrazek’s) a third-year pro. He had a good preseason. In the few outings he had last year he played good.
“I think in the earlier going with Jimmy Howard, our goaltending has been good,” Holland continued. “(Gustavsson is) 1-1-1. He was a big part in us making the playoffs last year. We’re disappointed he’s gotten this significant injury. From a team standpoint we feel really good we have Petr Mrazek.”
Gustavsson, who signed a one-year deal at $1.85 million this offseason to return to Detroit, spent most of his first two seasons with the Wings on the trainer’s table.
Battling injures from groins to shoulders, Gustavsson appeared in just 34 regular-season games with the Wings over two seasons.
Gustavsson, 30, missed a total of 23 games on five separate occasions with three different types of injuries last season, but groin injuries have been his Achilles heel since signing a free agent deal with the Wings.
When Gustavsson played, he played well last season, going 16-5-4 with a 2.63 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage. He appeared in the final two games of the playoffs, filling in for Howard, who was sidelined with the flu.
Along with missing 18 games due to a groin injury last season, he appeared in just seven of the 48 games during the lockout-shortened first season in Detroit, making just four starts. He didn’t play over the final 27 games of the season, which included the playoffs.
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