Pair of NHL brothers reach new all-time low with assignment to AHL

The NHL is a brutal place if you can't make it work.

Erik Gustafsson would find himself on waivers last weekend and would clear as the Red Wings sent him to the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins.

For the veteran defenseman, this is the first time he'll play in the AHL since the 2017-18 season, when he spent 25 games with the Rockford IceHogs, a Blackhawks affiliate.

This time around, it's not a matter of development, but the fact that he's been beat out for a roster spot.

And more bad news has arrived for the Gustafsson family, as his brother, David, a Winnipeg Jet, will be joining him.

Erik Gustafsson was originally drafted 93rd overall in 2012 and has played a total of 515 NHL games, suiting up for the New York Rangers, Chicago Blackhawks, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals, Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, and the Red Wings.

It seems he couldn't escape his fate in the face of an ongoing rebuild, which had elite defensemen like Axel Sandin-Pellikka waiting in the wings.

While his brother, David, has played only a total of 149 NHL games for the Winnipeg Jets and has jumped up and down from the AHL's Manitoba Moose and the Jets.

For a transient prospect like Gustafsson, it's difficult to see where this leads, as he hasn't had the ability to establish himself as a full-time NHL player quite yet.