That Michael Brandsegg-Nygard has the skill set to be an impact player in the NHL is clear just by watching him shoot the puck.
As he embarks on his second year in North America, the Norwegian winger is out to prove he belong with the Detroit Red Wings as a regular. He made strides last year when he made the team out of camp in his rookie season, but wasn't able to sustain play at the level needed. Now he's older, stronger, more experienced, and ready for the challenge as the Wings work their way through a four-game preseason this week.
"I feel much more confident," Brandsegg-Nygard said Monday, Sept. 21 after taking part in the morning skate inside Little Caesars Arena with the Wings squad slated to travel to play in the evening's exhibition
game at the Columbus Blue Jackets. "Last year I didn't really expect to make the team for myself, but this year I have a goal to make the team. That's what I've been focusing and working on the whole summer, so I have a different mindset this year than last year."
The Wings drafted Brandsegg-Nygard, 20, at No. 15 in 2024 partly because already at that time he was 6 feet 1 and around 205 pounds, with a heavy right-handed shot. He earned a spot in the 2025-26 opening lineup on the strength of producing seven points in seven exhibition games, but when he had no points after nine games, he was sent to the Grand Rapids Griffins. He was called back up late in the season and ended up with one assist in 14 games.
His shining moments in 2025-26 came last spring, first for the Griffins in the AHL playoffs: An overtime goal that saw Brandsegg-Nygård stickhandle through two defenders and drive the net to flip a backhand in Game 3 against the Chicago Wolves, and setting up a goal with 15 seconds to go in Game 4. When the Griffins were eliminated, Brandsegg-Nygard joined his native Team Norway at the World Championship, producing six points in five games en route to a bronze medal.
That's helped forge a player in whom the Wings see great promise.
"His entry into North American hockey, like real intense North American hockey, was at the NHL level," coach Todd McLellan said. "It started well but we could see that we probably weren't going to get him what he needed to develop and then he went down. We brought him back later in the year and I think that return stint had already shown or proved to us that he was physically more engaged, he was more confident in where he was going on the ice to get the puck. He didn't defer to somebody else for a shot. He's got a great shot, he used it and then he went back to Grand Rapids for the playoffs and I thought he used all of those tools and became a real effective player."
McLellan has had Brandsegg-Nygard with Nate Danielson and Carter Mazur during camp, in what could be a potential energy line that can help out offensively. Danielson, the team's first-round pick (at no. 9) in 2023 is a highly responsible two-way center coming off an injury-plagued season, but he and Brandsegg-Nygard already know each other well.
"I think we have a lot of chemistry," Brandsegg-Nygard said. "We like hanging out with each other off the ice and we played with each other a couple of times before camp. I'm confident with playing with Nate, and I think he is too."
Brandsegg-Nygard's shot also has landed him on power plays. The Wings need to make up for the goals lost with the departures of Patrick Kane (16) and James van Riemdsyk, and with Dylan Larkin (34 goals) unavailable because of injury.
"We're really hoping he can, for the goal totals that we lost, especially without Larks right now, that's significant," McLellan said. "So they have to come from somewhere and we have to tighten up and give up less. Nygs can do that. He's proven he can shoot a puck in the net and put himself in position to do that, so we need him to get confident fast and feel good about his game. He's still a young man, he's going to mature in a lot of other ways too, mentally and physically, but we need him, we're counting on him."
Contact Helene St. James at Hstjames@freepress.com. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Why a confident Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is vital for Red Wings
