Red Wings draft picks Liam Dower Nilsson and his younger brother, Noah are two very different players–Liam is a 20-year-old play-maker, while Noah is more of a sniper–but, as Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff notes, the Dower Nilsson brothers have a simple goal in playing in the NHL together:
“I think we have some same (similarities) the way we play the game but I’m a more offensive winger,” Noah said. “Liam is more a two-way center. I learned a lot from him through this year. We always compete against each other.”
That figures to again be the case in 2023-24. The two did get some ice time together in the SHL last season with Frolunda. This season, while Noah will remain with Frolunda, Liam is joining Bjorkloven of the Allsvenskan, the second tier of Swedish hockey.
“I’m trying to get a bigger role there and play my game and focus on my things to get better and try to come back to be the player I was in junior,” Liam explained as the reason behind the move. “I feel I have a more offensive mindset and game to show that I haven’t really shown these two years and especially this year. It’s going to be good for me.”
Detroit ws selecting Liam 134th overall selection in 2021. That year, the entire NHL entry draft was being conducted via Zoom calls. This year in Nashville, the entire Dower Nilsson family was on hand to share the moment with Noah as he was taken with the 73rd overall pick.
“It was unbelievable,” Liam said. “Never really dared to think that’s going to happen. It was an amazing feeling for me and my dad and grandpa, who was there, and for Noah.”
