Sandin Pellikka Teammate Projected to be Heading to Red Wings

Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is both literally and figuratively getting consideration as a big player in the 2024 NHL entry draft and he’s been linked to the Detroit Red Wings.

Craig Button, scouting director for TSN, is projecting Brandsegg-Nygard to go 15th overall to the Red Wings in this year’s draft.

One thing is for certain. Wherever the 6-foot-1, 205-pound Norwegian right-winger goes in the first round of the NHL draft, recent developments are guaranteeing that he’ll have a Red Wings connection next season.

Brandsegg-Nygard is transferring from Mora of Sweden’s Allsvenskan, the country’s second division, to Skelleftea, the reigning Swedish Hockey League champions.

“They have always been a good team and I have heard a lot of positive things about how they develop players and make them better, so it will be incredibly fun to get there,” Brandsegg-Nygard told Swedish website Expressen.se.

There, he’ll become a teammate of defenseman Axel Sandin Pellikka, the player Detroit chose 17th overall in the 2023 NHL entry draft.

Two minutes of Michael Brandsegg-Nygård breaking up plays on the forecheck, hustling for loose pucks, winning body positioning, and running over grown men like it's nothing.

The best forechecker in the draft. #2024NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/CGOJkZaVha

— Lassi Alanen (@lassialanen) May 14, 2024

“It feels great that Michael chose to come to Skelleftea,” Skelleftea’s sports manager Eric Forsell said. “He is a young player who is already far ahead with a lot. He combines a high skill with competitive instinct and hard work.”

Whether they will be teammates in the NHL beyond next season is still to be determined. But there’s a lot of logic in suggesting Brandsegg-Nygard could wind up in the Red Wings organization.

Brandsegg-Nygard Would Fill Void With Red Wings

Detroit GM Steve Yzerman is fond of taking Europeans early in the draft. He’s selections have featured at least one European player in the first round during each of his five draft as Red Wings GM.

Interestingly, all of them were either playing in the SHL, or would wind up taking a turn in that league prior to arriving in Detroit.

One facet of the game in which the Red Wings are currently lacking is size on the wing, and players willing to use that size to get to the net front.

“He is a hard driving winger,” Button said of Brandsegg-Nygard. “He wants to make a difference in the game.”

Brandsegg-Nygard was good for 8-10-18 totals in 41 games with Mora. In the playoffs, he was accounting for four goals and 10 points in 12 games. He would also contribute 2-3-5 numbers in five games for Norway at the world junior tourney.

The Norwegian Vikings take the lead.✊ Michael Brandsegg-Nygard with a sweet one-timer.🇳🇴 #MensWorlds #DENNOR @norskishockey pic.twitter.com/kkyht23wpE

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) May 14, 2024

The big winger currently has two goals in five games for Norway at the IIHF World Championship. That total is including a power-play goal and the game winner in Norway’s only win so far, a 2-0 verdict over Denmark.

Brandsegg-Nygard is skating on Norway’s top line alongside Mats Zuccarello of the Minnesota Wild and former NHL Patrick Thoresen, who is serving as Norwegian captain.