Red Wings sign Michael Brandsegg-Nygård to three-year, entry-level contract

Red Wings sign Michael Brandsegg-Nygård to three-year, entry-level contract

Another talented European has inked an NHL contract in Hockeytown.

On Thursday, the Detroit Red Wings announced they have signed forward Michael Brandsegg-Nygård to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal will carry a $975,000 AAV over its tenure.

Brandsegg-Nygård was taken by the Red Wings in the first round, 15th overall, in the 2024 NHL Draft. With the pick, he became the highest-drafted Norwegian in league history, and the first to be taken in the first round.

While it is too early to tell if Brandsegg-Nygård has what it takes to meet the same career success as fellow countrymate Mats Zuccarello, there are many parts of his game to be excited about. The native of Oslo is a two-way winger, and is considered by many to have a dangerous release, making him an underrated goal scorer. At 6-foot-1 and 198 pounds, he isn’t afraid of using the body, something he utilizes on the defensive side of the puck, a facet that definitely caught the eye of Red Wings general manager, and past Selke Trophy winner, Steve Yzerman.

Brandsegg-Nygård has already proven he can play against men, having played the last two seasons with Mora IK in the Allsvenskan league over in Sweden. After tearing it up at the junior level with Mora in 2022-23, the 18-year-old proved he could be a key player at the top levels, scoring eight goals and 10 assists in 41 games. He also scored 10 points in 12 qualification games.

He has been a consistent figure on the international stage over the past few years. He has represented Norway at the 2022 IIHF Men’s Under-18 Division 1A World Championship and 2023 IIHF Division 1A World Junior Championship. Brandsegg-Nygård helped Norway earn a promotion to the top WJC division this past year. In five games at this year’s World Juniors, he notched three goals and five points, though Norway was relegated back to Division 1A.

Brandsegg-Nygård earned the right to play for the senior national team this past spring, appearing in seven games at the 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championship, registering five points in seven games.

Brandsegg-Nygård is expected to stay overseas for at least one more season, as he has a contract with Skellefteå AIK of the Swedish Hockey League for the 2024-25 campaign.

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