Newark, N.J. – When the Red Wings arrived for training camp in September, coach Todd McLellan didn’t know much about rookie forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, the team’s 2024 first-round draft pick.
McLellan had expectations for the player drafted 15th overall, but he was also realistic.
“He’s a first-round draft pick so you’re looking for something,” McLellan said. “I didn’t have him penciled in as coming out of camp and playing.”
But impactful performances, one after another, from Brandsegg-Nygard propelled him into the Wings’ opening night roster. He played nine games, with one point, an assist, before dwindling playing time necessitated Brandsegg-Nygard being sent to Grand Rapids for more seasoning.
With Dylan Larkin’s (lower-body) injury Friday, and the Wings needing a healthy player, Brandsegg-Nygard was recalled Friday. Few players in the American League have been as scorching as Brandsegg-Nygard, who scored eight goals and 13 points over his last 10 games.
Is Brandsegg-Nygard a different version of himself this time around, a player that is here to stick in the NHL?
“We’re going to find out,” McLellan said. “His start was actually pretty impressive. He did a real good job. Then you could see he needed some time (in the minors). He’s gone down there and been put in situations where he’s been counted on and played big minutes.”
Without Larkin Sunday night in New Jersey – McLellan said Larkin is day-to-day – the Wings need offense, but yet at the same time, looking to play more a defensive, checking style, knowing a significant offensive piece is missing.
Brandsegg-Nygard (6-foot-1, 204 pounds) is a bigger body who likes to play a physical style and has done a good job in that role in Grand Rapids.
“We need somebody that can score and he’s been doing that down there,” McLellan said. “But he also plays a heavy game. He can check, and our team is going to have to be, at least for (Sunday) and we’ll see where it goes from there, pretty solid defensively right now without Larks in the lineup and check well.”
“Brands (Brandsegg-Nygård) can do that and he gives you the shot and the opportunity to score as well.”
One of the biggest adjustments for any young player from Europe coming over to North America is the smaller rinks, and understanding that because of that, it’s a faster game, with decisions needing to be made a split-second quicker.
Brandsegg-Nygard became more comfortable with that in Grand Rapids.
“Back home we used to have more time so you can like, aim longer and have better time to shoot,” Brandsegg-Nygard said. “I had to get used to that, to just try to be quick. I worked a lot on that, and it feels like it’s working.”
By playing in his 10th game, Brandsegg-Nygard’s entry-level contract kicks in and he will be a restricted free agent a year earlier. But that’s an issue for the future.
After Saturday’s practice at Belfor Training Center and the flight to Newark – the Wings also cancelled Sunday’s morning skate, resulting in a bit of free time – Brandsegg-Nygard needed to do some shopping.
He was in Cleveland with the Griffins, so a car service drove him to Detroit Saturday morning, he practiced with the Wings, then got on the flight to Newark. Brandsegg-Nygard wasn’t prepared for a four-game, seven-day road trip.
“If I don’t want to use the same (boxers) every day; I’m probably going to have to shop for something,” Brandsegg-Nygard said.
Confidence boost
What does general manager Steve Yzerman want to see out of the Red Wings in these final 19 games?
To play with the conviction they’ve shown for most of this of this season, and having put themselves into a position for the playoffs.
“I want to see us play, make plays and play with confidence,” said Yzerman during his post-trade deadline press conference. “We got a lot of good hockey players, and at times have played really good hockey. Encourage our guys to keep making plays, keep making (opponents) under pressure and in tight situations. Not irresponsible or careless but make plays.
“We got to keep plugging away every game and find a way to get points.”
Ice chips
Defenseman Justin Faulk, acquired Friday in a trade with St. Louis, was expected to make his Wings’ debut Sunday night against New Jersey. The Blues have been on a West Coast trip, and Faulk flew Saturday cross country from San Jose and met the Wings in New Jersey.
… Along with Brandsegg-Nygard, the Wings also recalled John Leonard Sunday, another Griffins forward who impressed during a previous stay with the Wings this season (two goals, four points in nine games).
… Veteran defenseman Ben Chiarot, on the difference of playing late-season NHL games: “It’s a tough time of year to win games. Everyone is scraping and clawing. You got teams that are out of it kind of playing loose, and teams right on the line that are in playing playoff-style hockey. It’s playoff-style down the stretch. It’s hard to win and it’s a good thing for us to be playing these types of games, these hard games, leading into April.”
tkulfan@detroitnews.com
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This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard returns to Red Wings a different player
Reporting by Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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